Big Stone Lake
Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 217 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 35.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Big Stone Lake →
Next lake in Big Stone County
Big Stone Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 217 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 35.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 217 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 35.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Big Stone Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Stone Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Recreation & Access
- Hiawatha Public Water AccessPublic
- BonanzaPublic
Showing 2 of 4 documented landings from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory.
Fishing Big Stone Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Big Stone Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN06-0152-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Big Stone County
Nearby Lakes in Big Stone County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stone Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Big Stone Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 35.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Big Stone Lake?
- Big Stone Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hiawatha Public Water Access, Bonanza, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Stone Lake across LakeGrade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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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)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory