Buffalo Lake

Buffalo Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season.

A TSI near 43 places Buffalo Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake bottoms out at 38 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 418 acres, Buffalo Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 7.6 miles of shoreline. Within Becker County's 93 graded lakes, Buffalo Lake ranks 49 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Buffalo Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 14 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 8 times at Buffalo Lake, with a median around Apr 18. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.