Buffalo Lake
Murray County, Minnesota127 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Buffalo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Buffalo Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8.5 ft. Surface area: 126.9 acres.
Buffalo Lake is a 127-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and green sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Buffalo Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Buffalo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Buffalo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Buffalo Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.8 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 99µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.8µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Buffalo Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Buffalo Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in Sep (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (73°F) to its warmest (82°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Buffalo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
8.5 ft
Surface area
127 acres
Shoreline
1.6 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,512 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffalo Lake in Murray 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Buffalo Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Buffalo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN51-0018-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Buffalo Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Shetek Area Water & Sewer District WwtpCurrie · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MN0070947Recent violation
- Currie WwtpCurrie · 3.2 mi away · NPDES MN0025682Recent violation
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.
Nearby Lakes in Murray County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake is a lake in Murray County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 99 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8.5 ft. Surface area: 126.9 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Buffalo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has a maximum depth of 8.5 feet. The lake covers 126.9 acres.
What fish are in Buffalo Lake?
- Fish species found in Buffalo Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, green sunfish, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, yellow perch. Buffalo Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buffalo Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo 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 Buffalo Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Murray County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Buffalo Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA9 samples · 2025
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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