Butterfield Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota194 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Butterfield Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 23 ft max depth
Butterfield Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 193.7 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 1981 caught 7.33 northern pike per gill net at Butterfield Lake. DNR survey details →
Butterfield Lake is a 194-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Butterfield Lake ranks #39 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Butterfield Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.9 ft of visibility
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Butterfield 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 Butterfield Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Butterfield Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.9 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Butterfield Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Butterfield Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 78 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Butterfield Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 1981 caught 7.33 northern pike per gill net at Butterfield Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Butterfield 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1981-06-24 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1981-06-24 (Standard Survey)
45 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.13 | 0.17 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 15.50 | 0.12 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 4.04 | 1.5 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 3.38 | 0.2 lb | |
| White Sucker | 1.54 | 2.66 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 1.38 | 0.52 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.
From the 1981-06-24 survey
Test netting indicates a good Northern Pike population although fish are small. Also a good population of Crappies and Bluegills were present. Local reports indicated a good Largemouth Bass population also, though netting didn't show many.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Butterfield Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ButterfieldFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
194 acres
Shoreline
4 mi
Littoral zone
70%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,263 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Butterfield Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Butterfield Lake in Crow Wing 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Butterfield 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 →
Follow Butterfield Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Butterfield Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.76 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.43 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Apr 9, 2015 · Latest May 4, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 14
Earliest Nov 10, 2017 · Latest Dec 20, 2015
Most recent ice-out
May 4
2022
13 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Butterfield Lake
Where is Butterfield Lake?
- Butterfield Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Butterfield Lake?
- Butterfield Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 193.7 acres.
Is Butterfield Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Butterfield Lake?
- Butterfield Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 78 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Butterfield Lake?
- Butterfield Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 193.7 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Butterfield Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 1981 caught 7.33 northern pike per gill net at Butterfield Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Butterfield 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 Butterfield Lake thaw?
- Butterfield Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 14. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Can I fish at Butterfield Lake?
- Public access to Butterfield Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Butterfield Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Butterfield Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
156 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA156 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate