Big Watab Lake
Big Watab Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 20.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 123 ft. Surface area: 245.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 20.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 123 ft
- Area
- 246 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 237 days
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Big Watab Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Big Watab Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Big Watab Lake is a 246-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 123 feet (44-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Big Watab Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 20.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 34.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 20.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 34 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Big Watab Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Watab Lake in Stearns 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 Watab Lake
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Water Temperature
Big Watab Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Watab Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 123 ft |
| Average Depth | 43.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 246 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 19% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Watab LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Watab Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-23 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 91.42 | — |
| BKF | 33.99 | — |
| Bluegill | 32.60 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 21.22 | 0.56 lb |
| BCS | 9.45 | — |
| Rainbow Trout | 7.78 | 0.88 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
BKF
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Rainbow Trout
From the 2025-06-23 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Watab Lake was conducted on June 23 - 25, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Watab Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big WatabFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Watab (1993)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big WatabFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big WatabPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.193 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (134 observations).
Estimated open water season: 237 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2025-03-19 (2025) | 2013-05-07 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1978-11-22 (1978) | 2012-01-14 (2012) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-19
EPA Impairment Status
Big Watab 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 MN73-0102-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Big Watab Lake
Big Watab Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Big Watab Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Watab Lake?
- Big Watab Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 20.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 123 ft. Surface area: 245.56 acres.
Is Big Watab Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Big Watab Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Watab Lake?
- Big Watab Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Watab Lake?
- Big Watab Lake has a maximum depth of 123 feet and an average depth of 43.5 feet. The lake covers 245.56 acres.
What fish are in Big Watab Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Watab Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, brown trout, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Watab Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Big Watab Lake thaw?
- Big Watab Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Dec 7. The open water season is approximately 237 days.
Are there boat ramps on Big Watab Lake?
- Big Watab Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Watab Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Watab Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
137 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA137 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate