Birch Lake
Birch Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Mar 31
- Open water
- 245 days
Next lake in Ramsey County
Birch Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Birch Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch Lake in Ramsey 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 Birch Lake
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Water Temperature
Birch Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 50 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Birch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Birch Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Birch 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.
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.3 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.64 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (12 observations).
Estimated open water season: 245 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-02 (2024) | 2018-04-26 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-21 (2022) | 2016-12-07 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-02
EPA Impairment Status
Birch Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0022-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.99 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake
What is the water quality grade for Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L.
Is Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Birch Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 50 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Birch Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Birch Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 9 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Birch Lake thaw?
- Birch Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 31. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 245 days.
Explore Birch Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
132 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
MNPCA132 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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate