Big Stone Lake
Big Stone County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Stone Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Public access
Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 217 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.6 µg/L.
Big Stone Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Big Stone County, Big Stone Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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 Stone 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 Stone Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Stone Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 217 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 35.6 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 217µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 35.6µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 68 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Stays near Big Stone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Stone Lake in Big Stone 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Big Stone Lake are listed below.
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Fishing Big Stone Lake
Nearby Lakes in Big Stone County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stone Lake
Where is Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake is a lake in Big Stone 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 Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 217 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.6 µg/L.
Is Big Stone Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Can I fish at Big Stone Lake?
- Public access to Big Stone Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
Explore Big Stone Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
27 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA27 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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.