Bright Lake
Martin County, Minnesota639 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bright Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 7 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bright Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 16, 2025 caught 3.00 walleye per gill net at Bright Lake. DNR survey details →
Bright Lake is a 639-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 7 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bright Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing20 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 20
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. Bright Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bright 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 Bright Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bright 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 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 110.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 54.1 µg/L. TSI 73.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 111µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 54.1µg/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. | 73 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Bright Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bright Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (81°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 16, 2025 caught 3.00 walleye per gill net at Bright Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bright Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-16 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-16 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 89.27 | 3–12 in 2025-06-16 | 0.16 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 26.21 | ||
| White Crappie | 16.11 | 3–14 in 2025-06-16 | 0.36 lb |
| Common Carp | 9.61 | 13–32 in 2025-06-16 | 3.1 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 5.49 | 4–6 in 2025-06-16 | 0.12 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 4.78 | 18–26 in 2025-06-16 | 3.67 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.
Black Bullhead
White Crappie
Common Carp
Green Sunfish
From the 2025-06-16 survey
Bright Lake, a 645-acre basin located 2.5 miles northeast of Ceylon in Martin County, is a shallow system characterized by a maximum depth of 6.0 feet and a 4.4-mile shoreline lined with thick cattails and some bulrush. This emergent vegetation provides important habitat for a fish community that must endure the…
Lake Details
Max depth
7 ft
Surface area
639 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
21 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,220 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bright 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 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Bright Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bright 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 →
Follow Bright Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bright Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 20
Earliest Feb 23, 2024 · Latest Apr 11, 2023
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 18, 2022 · Latest Dec 7, 2021
Most recent ice-out
Mar 9
2026
14 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN46-0052-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about Bright Lake
Where is Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake is a lake in Martin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bright Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bright Lake?
- Bright Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bright Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 16, 2025 caught 3.00 walleye per gill net at Bright Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bright Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Bright Lake?
- Bright 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 Bright Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Martin 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
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Bright Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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 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