Briar Lake
Briar Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 79.32 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 79 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Briar Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Briar Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Briar Lake is a 79-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, rainbow trout, and white sucker. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Briar Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Briar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Briar 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 Briar Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Briar Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 17 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Briar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 79 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 84% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Briar Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2009-10-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 13.49 | 0.47 lb |
| Rainbow Trout | 5.27 | 0.47 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.33 | 0.35 lb |
| GOS | 2.25 | 0.11 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.
White Sucker
Rainbow Trout
Black Bullhead
GOS
From the 2009-10-12 survey
Briar is a 89 acre lake with 67 acres (75%) of littoral area and a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake is located 13 miles north of Duluth, Minnesota off Highway #44 on County Road #272. The lake has a carry-down access located along the southwest shore. A population assessment (trapnets only) was conducted during the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Briar Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BriarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Briar (0490)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BriarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BriarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.027 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-09 (2021) | 2018-05-04 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2018-11-10 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2021-04-09
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Briar Lake
What is the water quality grade for Briar Lake?
- Briar Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 79.32 acres.
Is Briar Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Briar Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Briar Lake?
- Briar Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 17 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Briar Lake?
- Briar Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 79.32 acres.
What fish are in Briar Lake?
- Fish species found in Briar Lake include black bullhead, rainbow trout, white sucker. Briar Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Briar Lake thaw?
- Briar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24.
Explore Briar Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
51 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
MNPCA51 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate