Breda Lake
Breda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 33 µg/L.
- Max depth
- ~21 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Breda Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 21 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Breda Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 33 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 33 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Breda Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Breda 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Breda 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.
Recreation & Access
- Salo LakePublic
Fishing Breda Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #64 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Breda Lake
What is the water quality grade for Breda Lake?
- Breda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 33 µg/L.
Is Breda Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Breda Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Breda Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Breda Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 21 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Breda Lake?
- Breda Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Salo Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
6 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
MNPCA6 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory