Burgen Lake
Burgen Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 174.39 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 174 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
Next lake in Douglas County
Burgen Lake is a 174-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet (31-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Burgen Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Burgen Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Average Depth | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 174 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 27% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake BurgenPublic
- Union LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Burgen 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 99.05 | — |
| JND | 31.57 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 25.98 | 0.87 lb |
| CNM | 21.33 | — |
| IOD | 19.49 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.36 | 0.19 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Lake Burgen is a 174-acre moderately fertile basin located on the southeast corner of Alexandria in Douglas County. The lake has a relatively unique basin morphology with steep shoreline breaks and limited shallow water area. Maximum and mean depths are approximately 43 and 31 feet, respectively. Lake Burgen lies…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Burgen Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BurgenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BurgenFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BurgenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.685 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-22 (2016) | 2023-04-25 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2001-12-20 (2001) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-25
EPA Impairment Status
Burgen Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0049-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Burgen Lake
What is the water quality grade for Burgen Lake?
- Burgen Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 174.39 acres.
Is Burgen Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Burgen Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Burgen Lake?
- Burgen Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet and an average depth of 31 feet. The lake covers 174.39 acres.
What fish are in Burgen Lake?
- Fish species found in Burgen Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Burgen Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Burgen Lake thaw?
- Burgen Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7.
Are there boat ramps on Burgen Lake?
- Burgen Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Burgen, Union Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Burgen Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2020–2022
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