Bright Lake
Bright Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 54.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 638.55 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in August
- 79°F
- Max depth
- 7 ft
- Area
- 639 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 20
- Open water
- 256 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bright Lake →
Next lake in Martin County
Bright Lake is a 639-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 7 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Martin County, Bright Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. 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.
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)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 110.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 54.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 73.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 110.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 54.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 73 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Bright Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bright Lake in Martin 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 Bright Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bright Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bright Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bright Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 7 ft |
| Surface Area | 639 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 102% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bright LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bright Lake
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (14 observations).
Estimated open water season: 256 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-02-23 (2024) | 2023-04-11 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-18 (2022) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-09
EPA Impairment Status
Bright Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN46-0052-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 12 lakes in Martin County
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about Bright Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 54.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 638.55 acres.
Is Bright 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. Bright Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 54.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake has a maximum depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 638.55 acres.
What fish are in Bright Lake?
- Fish species found in Bright Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, green sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, quillback, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth buffalo, walleye, white bass, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bright Lake is located in Martin County, Minnesota.
When does Bright Lake thaw?
- Bright Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 20. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 256 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bright Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bright Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate