Brown Lake
Brown Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 68.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 68 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Aitkin County
Why Brown 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 Brown 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.
Brown Lake is a 68-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-10-02. 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 Brown Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Brown Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Brown Lake in Aitkin 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 Brown Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 68 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 91% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Sandy Lake (North)Public
- Dam SitePublic
- Aitkin Lake ResortSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Brown Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2003-07-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 26.45 | 0.09 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.35 | 0.39 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.00 | 0.2 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.72 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.40 | 1.5 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.36 | 0.19 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
From the 2003-07-21 survey
Brown lake is a small lake located eleven miles north of McGregor on the western side of Big Sandy Lake. The primary game fish species include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike. Fishing effort is light, mainly from shore anglers targeting bluegill. Winter angling is very light, mainly…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Brown Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BrownFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Brown (0116)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.34 m/yr | 3 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Brown Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Uscoe Sandy LakeMcgregor · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0110035
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.
Graded lakes near Brown Lake
Brown Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Brown Lake
What is the water quality grade for Brown Lake?
- Brown Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 68.2 acres.
Is Brown Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Brown Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Brown Lake?
- Brown Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 68.2 acres.
What fish are in Brown Lake?
- Fish species found in Brown Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Brown Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Brown Lake?
- Brown Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Sandy Lake (North), Dam Site, Aitkin Lake Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA25 samples · 2020–2021
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
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