Birch Lake
Wright County, Minnesota100 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Birch Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 52 ft max depth
- Public access
Birch Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 99.82 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 2009 caught 10.75 northern pike per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 inches. DNR survey details →
Birch Lake is a 100-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Birch Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Birch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 6
- Deep water52 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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.
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.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Birch Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Birch Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 36 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Birch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 2009 caught 10.75 northern pike per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 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 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2009-07-27 (Standard Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2009-07-27 (Standard Survey)
17 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 19.79 | 9–12 in 2009-07-27 | 0.64 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.57 | 2–6 in 2009-07-27 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.64 | 2–17 in 2009-07-27 | 1.04 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 8.60 | 7–13 in 2009-07-27 | 0.54 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.01 | 11–27 in 2009-07-27 | 1.25 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.05 | 10–11 in 2009-07-27 | 2.19 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2009-07-27 survey
Birch Lake is a 76 acre lake located in north central Wright County with a maximum depth of 52 feet. Dissolved oxygen was present to 17 feet in mid-July. The secchi depth was 11.0 feet. The aquatic plant community was diverse with 17 submersed species, some of which grew to a depth of 18 feet. Northern milfoil,…
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 — BirchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Birch (2007)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BirchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
52 ft
Average depth
15.8 ft
Surface area
100 acres
Shoreline
2 mi
Littoral zone
37%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
8 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
951 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Birch Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Birch Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
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 (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.77 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.37 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 6
Earliest Mar 14, 2000 · Latest May 1, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 4, 1991 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2026
50 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Birch Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger.
- Xcel - Monticello Nuclear Generating PltMonticello · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MN0000868Major
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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Birch Lake
Where is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake is a lake in Wright 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 Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 99.82 acres.
Is Birch 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 Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 36 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Birch Lake?
- Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet and an average depth of 15.8 feet. The lake covers 99.82 acres.
What fish are in Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Birch Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead. Birch Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Birch Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 2009 caught 10.75 northern pike per gill net at Birch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–27 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 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Birch Lake thaw?
- Birch Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Can I fish at Birch Lake?
- Public access to Birch Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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
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Where this data comes from
102 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
MNPCA102 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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate