Briggs Lake
Sherburne County, Minnesota404 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Briggs Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Briggs Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 404.36 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Briggs Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–23 inches. DNR survey details →
Briggs Lake is a 404-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sherburne County, Briggs Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Briggs Lake covers about 400 acres in Sherburne County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 2, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Briggs Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Briggs Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing21 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 2
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Briggs Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Briggs 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 Briggs Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Briggs Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 72.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 29.4 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 72.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 29.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Briggs Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Briggs Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 222 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Briggs Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Briggs Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briggs 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
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-10-03 (Targeted Survey).
18 surveys on file · most recent 2024-10-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 32.01 | 6–23 in 2024-10-03 | 1.43 lb |
| Black Crappie | 21.91 | 3–11 in 2024-08-12 | 0.3 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 14.67 | ||
| Bluegill | 14.17 | 3 in 2024-08-12 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.13 | 5–8 in 2024-08-12 | 0.13 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.
Walleye
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-10-03 survey
The Briggs Chain of Lakes is made up of Briggs, Julia and Rush lakes which are connected by a navigable channel. Walleye fry have been stocked into the chain every other year since 1992. Night electrofishing was conducted during the evening of October 3, 2024. A total of nine young of year (YOY) Walleye were collected…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Briggs Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BriggsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BriggsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BriggsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Average depth
11.7 ft
Surface area
404 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
42%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Briggs LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Briggs Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Briggs Lake in Sherburne 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Briggs Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Briggs 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Briggs Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+16.33 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+6.77 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 2
Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest Apr 30, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 4
Earliest Nov 14, 2014 · Latest Dec 19, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2026
19 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Briggs Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN71-0146-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Briggs Lake
Where is Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake is a lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 404.36 acres.
Is Briggs Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Briggs Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 222 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet and an average depth of 11.7 feet. The lake covers 404.36 acres.
What fish are in Briggs Lake?
- Fish species found in Briggs Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Briggs Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Briggs Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Briggs Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–23 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Briggs 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.
When does Briggs Lake thaw?
- Briggs Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Dec 4. The open water season is approximately 246 days.
Are there boat ramps on Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Briggs Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Briggs Lake?
- Briggs Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Briggs Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Sherburne County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Briggs Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Briggs Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
114 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA114 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate