Big Woods Lake
Carver County, Minnesota31 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Woods Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
Big Woods Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 113 µg/L. Surface area: 31 acres.
Big Woods Lake is a 31-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and green sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Big Woods Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Woods Lake covers about 31 acres in Carver County. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Big Woods Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Big Woods Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
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 Woods 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 Woods Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Woods Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 113 µg/L. TSI 76.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 197µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 113µg/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. | 76 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Big Woods Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Woods Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Feb (about 36°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (36°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 253 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
Surface area
31 acres
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
No bathymetric survey has been published for Big Woods Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Woods Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Woods Lake in Carver 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 Woods Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Woods 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 Woods Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Woods Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-6.07 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.1 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Big Woods Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ids (completed 1989), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Chaska East Creek; earth-type dam, 20 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 31 ac
- Normal storage
- 89 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 453 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 2.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- City of Chaska
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01264 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.19 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Big Woods Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Lifecore Biomedical LlcChaska · 0.3 mi away · NPDES MN0060747
- Fsi InternationalChaska · 0.4 mi away · NPDES MN0068781
- Apex Manufacturing PlantChaska · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MN0067016
- Mclaughlin Gormley King CoChaska · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MN0058033
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 Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Big Woods Lake
Where is Big Woods Lake?
- Big Woods Lake is a lake in Carver 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 Woods Lake?
- Big Woods Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 113 µg/L. Surface area: 31 acres.
Is Big Woods Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Woods Lake?
- Big Woods Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 253 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Big Woods Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Woods Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, green sunfish. Big Woods Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
Can I fish at Big Woods Lake?
- Public access to Big Woods Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Woods Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carver County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Big Woods Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
200 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
MNPCA200 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder