Buffalo Lake
Wright County, Minnesota1,552 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Buffalo Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
Buffalo Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 31.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Buffalo Lake. DNR survey details →
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). 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 2 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Buffalo Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing20 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 4
- Deep water33 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,552 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 47 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 40.6 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 47µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 40.6µg/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. | 63 | 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 59°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (78°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 31.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Buffalo Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Buffalo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
20 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-10 (Targeted Survey).
20 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-10 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 41.11 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 36.53 | 4–13 in 2024-07-22 | 0.58 lb |
| Walleye | 35.77 | 7–24 in 2025-10-10 | 1.48 lb |
| Bluegill | 34.00 | 2–8 in 2024-07-22 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.46 | 3–11 in 2024-07-22 | 0.17 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Average depth
14.7 ft
Surface area
1,552 acres
Shoreline
6.3 mi
Littoral zone
49%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
21 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
902 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Buffalo Lake (East)Public
- Buffalo Lake (North)Public
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 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 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
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-15.35 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-17.57 µg/L/yr4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 4
Earliest Mar 7, 2017 · Latest May 2, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 13, 1986 · Latest Dec 19, 2018
Most recent ice-out
Mar 24
2025
28 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0090-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Buffalo Lake
Where is Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake is a lake in Wright 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 Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Buffalo Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Buffalo Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 31.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Buffalo Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Buffalo Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Buffalo Lake (East), Buffalo Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Buffalo Lake?
- Buffalo Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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
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Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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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)
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
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