Buffalo Lake

Buffalo Lake earns a D — measurements through 2024 show persistent nutrient pressure that limits clarity through the summer. The lake's weakest score is on Secchi depth — the water looks more turbid than its phosphorus number alone would predict.

A TSI in the eutrophic range signals a lake doing what nutrient-loaded waters do — supporting an active algal community at the cost of clear water. The lake bottoms out at 33 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Buffalo Lake covers 1,552 acres alongside 6.3 miles of shoreline, large enough that conditions can vary meaningfully between bays. Within Wright County's 64 graded lakes, Buffalo Lake ranks 44 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Buffalo Lake is on the Minnesota infested-waters list for zebra mussels — boaters should follow clean-drain-dry protocols when moving gear to or from the lake. Walleye are documented at Buffalo Lake, one of 20 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Buffalo Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 18 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 4. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.