Buffalo Lake
Buffalo Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 1551.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 1,552 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 240 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Buffalo Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Buffalo Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Buffalo Lake is a 1,552-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (15-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Buffalo Lake ranks #43 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Buffalo Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 40.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 47 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 40.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Buffalo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Buffalo Lake in Wright 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Buffalo Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Buffalo Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Buffalo Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 92 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Buffalo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Average Depth | 14.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,552 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Buffalo Lake (South)Public
- Buffalo Lake (East)Public
- Buffalo Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Buffalo 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
20 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 41.11 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 36.53 | 0.58 lb |
| Walleye | 35.77 | 1.48 lb |
| Bluegill | 34.00 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.46 | 0.17 lb |
| BKS | 25.44 | — |
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.
Black Bullhead
Walleye
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-10-10 survey
Buffalo Lake is a 1,552-acre general development lake located within the City of Buffalo in Wright County and is within the North Fork Crow River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet with an average depth of 15 feet, but poor water quality with a 10-yr average summer water clarity of three feet. Walleye…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Buffalo Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BuffaloFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BuffaloFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BuffaloPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.1 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -15.35 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -17.57 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 240 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-07 (2017) | 2018-05-02 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 1986-11-13 (1986) | 2018-12-19 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-24
EPA Impairment Status
Buffalo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0090-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #43 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Buffalo Lake holds Grade F. 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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
What is the water quality grade for Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 40.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 1551.9 acres.
Is Buffalo Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Buffalo Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 40.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 92 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 14.7 feet. The lake covers 1551.9 acres.
What fish are in Buffalo Lake?
- Fish species found in Buffalo Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Buffalo Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Buffalo Lake thaw?
- Buffalo Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Are there boat ramps on Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buffalo Lake (South), Buffalo Lake (East), Buffalo Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Buffalo Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Buffalo Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Buffalo Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
121 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA121 samples · 2020–2025
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