Brooks Lake
Brooks Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 100.19 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 100 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Wright County
Brooks Lake is a 100-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Brooks Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Brooks Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 33 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Brooks Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Brooks Lake in Wright 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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Water Temperature
Brooks Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 143 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Brooks Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 11.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 100 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 58% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Brooks LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Brooks Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 415.38 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 33.54 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.34 | 1.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.21 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.96 | 4.05 lb |
| GOS | 1.67 | 0.08 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Brooks Lake is a 96-acre lake located in southwestern Wright County near the City of Cokato. The lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet with a summer water clarity of over five feet. There is a city administered public boat access as well as a fishing pier located within Veterans Memorial Park on the east side of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Brooks Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BrooksFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BrooksPublic 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 | -0.012 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.54 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Brooks Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0264-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Brooks Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Faribault Foods-Cokato DivCokato · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MN0030635
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Brooks Lake
What is the water quality grade for Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 100.19 acres.
Is Brooks Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Brooks Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 143 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 11.4 feet. The lake covers 100.19 acres.
What fish are in Brooks Lake?
- Fish species found in Brooks Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch. Brooks Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Brooks Lake?
- Brooks Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Brooks Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Brooks Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
155 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
MNPCA155 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory