Bryant Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota180 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bryant Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
Bryant Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 179.94 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 21, 2023 caught 0.22 northern pike per trap net at Bryant Lake. DNR survey details →
Bryant Lake is a 180-acre mesotrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Bryant Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Bryant Lake covers about 180 acres in Hennepin County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Bryant Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Bryant Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Deep water45 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. Bryant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bryant 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 Bryant Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bryant Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 37.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.9 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 37.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bryant Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bryant Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 60°F) and coldest in Jan (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (37°F) to its warmest (60°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,639 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bryant Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 21, 2023 caught 0.22 northern pike per trap net at Bryant Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bryant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-21 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2023-08-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 46.96 | 3–6 in 2023-08-21 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.08 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 9.17 | 4–17 in 2023-08-21 | 1.02 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.84 | 5–11 in 2022-07-18 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.41 | 6–7 in 2012-07-16 | 0.39 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.20 | 5–6 in 2022-07-18 | 0.11 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
From the 2023-08-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bryant Lake was conducted on August 21-22, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bryant Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BryantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BryantFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BryantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
45 ft
Surface area
180 acres
Shoreline
3.4 mi
Littoral zone
36%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
843 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bryant 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 Bryant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bryant Lake in Hennepin 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 Bryant 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 Bryant Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.78 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.02 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Bryant 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.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0067-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Bryant Lake
Where is Bryant Lake?
- Bryant Lake is a lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bryant Lake?
- Bryant Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 179.94 acres.
Is Bryant Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bryant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bryant Lake?
- Bryant Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 1,639 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bryant Lake?
- Bryant Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 179.94 acres.
What fish are in Bryant Lake?
- Fish species found in Bryant Lake include black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tiger muskellunge, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bryant Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bryant Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 21, 2023 caught 0.22 northern pike per trap net at Bryant Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bryant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Bryant Lake?
- Bryant Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bryant Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bryant Lake?
- Bryant 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 Bryant Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
302 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA302 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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