Bolfing Lake
Bolfing Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 51.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 108.96 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 36 ft
- Area
- 109 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bolfing Lake →
Next lake in Stearns County
Bolfing Lake is a 109-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Bolfing Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 6.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 51.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 59 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 51.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bolfing Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bolfing 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bolfing Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bolfing Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bolfing Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 113 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bolfing Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 36 ft |
| Average Depth | 12.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 109 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 64% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bolfing 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 25.91 | 0.39 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 15.39 | 2.57 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.30 | 0.72 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.45 | 0.77 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.60 | 0.23 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.16 | 2.59 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.
Black Crappie
Channel Catfish
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
From the 2024-07-31 survey
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL) is located in south-central Stearns County, near the city of Richmond. A dam built in the early 1900's on the Sauk River in Cold Spring created the SRCL a reservoir consisting of nine lakes and approximately 3,200 acres of water. The Sauk River drains a large portion of central…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bolfing Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BolfingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.214 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +18.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +22.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bolfing 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 MN73-0088-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Bolfing Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Westland Dairy LlpRichmond · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MN0070912
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Bolfing Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Bolfing Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bolfing Lake?
- Bolfing Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 59 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 51.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 108.96 acres.
Is Bolfing Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Bolfing Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 51.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bolfing Lake?
- Bolfing Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 113 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bolfing Lake?
- Bolfing Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 12.8 feet. The lake covers 108.96 acres.
What fish are in Bolfing Lake?
- Fish species found in Bolfing Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, greater redhorse, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bolfing Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Explore Bolfing Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA62 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder