Bueber Lake
Cass County, Minnesota132 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bueber Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
Bueber Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 131.7 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2022 caught 18.20 northern pike per gill net at Bueber Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–31 inches. DNR survey details →
Bueber Lake is a 132-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Bueber Lake ranks #96 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bueber Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water32 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bueber 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 Bueber Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bueber Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.2 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 37µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.2µg/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. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bueber Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bueber Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (64°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bueber Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2022 caught 18.20 northern pike per gill net at Bueber Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–31 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bueber Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-21 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2022-06-21 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 9.19 | 5–9 in 2022-06-21 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.84 | 13–31 in 2022-06-21 | 1.89 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.08 | 3–9 in 2022-06-21 | 0.46 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.07 | 10–11 in 2001-06-25 | 0.82 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.91 | 4–11 in 2022-06-21 | 0.47 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.83 | 12–13 in 2022-06-21 | 0.97 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.
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
From the 2022-06-21 survey
Beuber Lake is a 132-acre lake with 1.95 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 32 feet located north of Backus, MN. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Beuber Lake is in Lake Class…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bueber Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeuberFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Beuber (1687)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeuberPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
32 ft
Surface area
132 acres
Shoreline
2 mi
Littoral zone
57%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,316 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bueber Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bueber Lake in Cass 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 Bueber 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 Bueber 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 Bueber Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2023–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+8.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Bueber Lake
Where is Bueber Lake?
- Bueber Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bueber Lake?
- Bueber Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 131.7 acres.
Is Bueber Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bueber Lake?
- Bueber Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bueber Lake?
- Bueber Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 131.7 acres.
What fish are in Bueber Lake?
- Fish species found in Bueber Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bueber Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bueber Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2022 caught 18.20 northern pike per gill net at Bueber Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–31 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bueber Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Bueber Lake?
- Public access to Bueber Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Bueber Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA36 samples · 2023–2024
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder