Birch Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Birch Lake?

Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 7073.85 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Birch Lake?

Birch Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include South Fork Kawishiwi River (South), Birch Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Birch Lake?

Birch Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.

Birch Lake

St. Louis County, Minnesota7,074 acresView map Directions

Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Birch Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

3.9 ft

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

21.5 µg/L

Typical for Minnesota

Measured by Minnesota PCA

Chlorophyll-a

7.5 µg/L

Typical for Minnesota

Measured by Minnesota PCA

Max depth

25 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

7,074 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Eutrophic
25 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Birch Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 7073.85 acres.

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 10.17 walleye per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–28 inches. DNR survey details →

Loading map…

Free interactive depth-contour map of Birch Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.

Birch Lake is a 7,074-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Birch Lake ranks #43 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Birch Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps
Fishing10 species recorded
Big water7,074 acres

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Moderate algae

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 Birch 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Ely →

Get alerts for Birch Lake →

Water quality measurements for Birch Lake

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Birch 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 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.5 µg/L. TSI 52.

Water quality readings
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	21.5µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	7.5µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	52	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Birch Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

DNR fisheries survey

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 10.17 walleye per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–28 inches.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-11 (Targeted Survey).

15 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-11 (Targeted Survey)

Species	Catch rate (CPUE)	Size	Avg weight
Tullibee (Cisco)	9.61	7–14 in 2025-08-11	0.55 lb
Walleye	9.56	4–28 in 2025-08-11	1 lb
White Sucker	4.27	6–19 in 2025-08-11	1.87 lb
Yellow Perch	3.71	5–9 in 2025-08-11	0.21 lb
Northern Pike	1.91	16–37 in 2025-08-11	3.25 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.

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.

Tullibee (Cisco)

144 fish · 7–14 in · 2025-08-11

Walleye

122 fish · 4–28 in · 2025-08-11

White Sucker

57 fish · 6–19 in · 2025-08-11

Yellow Perch

28 fish · 5–9 in · 2025-08-11

From the 2025-08-11 survey

Birch Lake is a 7074-acre, 15-mile-long reservoir located northeast of Babbitt in the Superior National Forest. It is a popular multi-species fishery comparable to Bear Island, Fall, and White Iron in the Tower Area. Impounding the confluence of four rivers, Birch is expansive and generally shallow, with most of the…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Birch Lake. 3 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

—
Fisheries Lake Survey — Birch
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
—
Aquatic Plant Report — Birch (0246)
Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
—
Public Water Access Sites — Birch
Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder

Lake Details

Max depth

25 ft

Surface area

7,074 acres

Shoreline

90.1 mi

Littoral zone

15%

Share shallower than 15 ft

Public access

Yes

Listed by Minnesota PCA

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

923 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,407 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

South Fork Kawishiwi River (South)Public
Birch Lake (South)Public

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Birch Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Birch Lake in St. Louis 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

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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Birch Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips

Follow Birch Lake’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

Or email

Fish Species

black crappie bluegill hybrid sunfish northern pike rock bass smallmouth bass tullibee (cisco)walleye white sucker yellow perch

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Birch Lake

Water Quality Trend: Worsening

Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).

Water clarity
Worsening
5 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County

Little Lake—View →Blueberry Lake2 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →One Pine Lake4.5 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Perch Lake6.6 ft clear—View →Whisper Lake—View →Argo Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake

Where is Birch Lake?: Birch Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Birch Lake?: Birch Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 7073.85 acres.
Is Birch Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Birch Lake?: Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 7073.85 acres.
What fish are in Birch Lake?: Fish species found in Birch Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Birch Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Lake?: Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 10.17 walleye per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–28 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Birch Lake?: Birch Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include South Fork Kawishiwi River (South), Birch Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Birch Lake?: Birch Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Birch Lake across LakeQuality

Minnesota Fishing Guide

Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota

St. Louis County Fishing

Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Lake Vermilion Area

Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area

Minnesota Lake Trips

Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings

Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI)

Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality

Rainy Lake Watershed

Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality

The State of Minnesota's Lakes

Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements

More lakes in Minnesota

Clearest lakes in Minnesota

Ranked by Secchi water clarity

All Minnesota lakes

Every Minnesota lake with its Minnesota PCA measurements

Lake water quality by country

Official ratings and named-lake measurements

State Parks Near Birch Lake

Bear Head Lake State Park

State Park · 11.9 mi

Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

State Park · 19.8 mi

Other Lakes in Minnesota

Sand Lake

Lake County · 4.1 ft

Campers Lake

Lake County · Measured

Lake County · 2.1 ft

Lake County · 2.1 ft

Lake County · 3.4 ft

Lake County · 2 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Beaver Hut Lake South Farm Lake Sand Lake N Br Kawishiwi R Lake

Compare Birch Lake With Nearby Lakes

Birch Lake vs Johnson Lake

St. Louis County · 3 ft

Birch Lake vs Bear Island Lake

St. Louis County · 7 ft

Birch Lake vs Big Lake

St. Louis County · 8.2 ft

Where this data comes from

521 measurements from 19 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA521 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 (19)

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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory