Buchanan Lake
Buchanan Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 963.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 964 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Buchanan Lake is a 964-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Buchanan Lake ranks #62 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Buchanan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buchanan Lake in Otter Tail 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
Buchanan Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 56 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Buchanan Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 964 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 87% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Donalds LakePublic
- Buchanan LakePublic
- Pelican BayPublic
- Sportsman (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Buchanan 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-07-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 46.15 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 15.06 | 0.82 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 7.00 | 0.31 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.61 | 0.13 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.60 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.23 | 1.71 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
Yellow Perch
From the 2014-07-07 survey
Buchanan Lake is a 929-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in east-central Otter Tail County approximately two miles north of Ottertail, MN. The lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet; however, 90% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The secchi disc reading in this assessment was 11.8 feet. Previous…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Buchanan Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BuchananFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Buchanan (1128)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BuchananFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BuchananPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.07 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-30 (2016) | 2023-04-28 (2023) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-28
EPA Impairment Status
Buchanan 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 MN56-0209-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #62 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Buchanan Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Buchanan Lake
What is the water quality grade for Buchanan Lake?
- Buchanan Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 963.59 acres.
Is Buchanan Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Buchanan Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Buchanan Lake?
- Buchanan Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 56 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Buchanan Lake?
- Buchanan Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 963.59 acres.
What fish are in Buchanan Lake?
- Fish species found in Buchanan Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Buchanan Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Buchanan Lake thaw?
- Buchanan Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10.
Are there boat ramps on Buchanan Lake?
- Buchanan Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Donalds Lake, Buchanan Lake, Pelican Bay, Sportsman (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Buchanan Lake across LakeGrade
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
60 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA60 samples · 2023–2025
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
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