Big Rice Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota1,917 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Rice Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 5 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Rice Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 1917.26 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 1982 caught 11.50 northern pike per gill net at Big Rice Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Rice Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 5 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Big Rice Lake is a 1,917-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 5 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Big Rice Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Big Rice Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water1,917 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Rice Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Rice Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Rice Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 24µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Big Rice Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 1982 caught 11.50 northern pike per gill net at Big Rice Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1982-06-12 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1982-06-12 (Standard Survey)
44 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 79.00 | 0.44 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 11.50 | 1.78 lb | |
| White Sucker | 5.50 | 2.36 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1982-06-12 survey
Big Rice Lake contains above average populations of northern pike, yellow perch and suckers.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Rice Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big RiceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Rice (0275)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big RicePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
5 ft
Surface area
1,917 acres
Shoreline
8.5 mi
Littoral zone
96%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,427 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Rice LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Big Rice Lake
- Big Rice Lake Campground0.6 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Rice Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Rice Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Big Rice Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Big Rice Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2023–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Improving-2 µg/L/yr3 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Big Rice Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Mdnr-Soudan Undgr Mine St PkSoudan · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MN0060151
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Big Rice Lake
Where is Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 1917.26 acres.
Is Big Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 1917.26 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Rice Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 1982 caught 11.50 northern pike per gill net at Big Rice Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Rice Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Rice Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Big Rice Lake?
- Big Rice Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Big Rice Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Big Rice Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Big Rice Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Big Rice Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA6 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles