Crawford Lake
Crawford Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 110.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 110 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Wright County
Crawford Lake is a 110-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet (4-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Crawford Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Crawford Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Crawford Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crawford 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Crawford 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
Crawford Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2017–2017) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crawford Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Average Depth | 3.6 ft |
| Surface Area | 110 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 97% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crawford LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crawford Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 57.36 | 0.71 lb |
| Bluegill | 31.51 | 0.1 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 24.56 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 23.70 | 0.36 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 13.22 | 0.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 12.03 | 0.12 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
Green Sunfish
Black Bullhead
From the 2021-07-06 survey
Crawford Lake is a 109 acre lake located five miles south of the city of Buffalo in Wright County. The lake is shallow (max. depth of 19 feet) with a history of winterkill. The lake was reclaimed using rotenone in 1998, but not all bullheads were killed. An aeration system was purchased and has been used since 2001 to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crawford Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrawfordFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CrawfordFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CrawfordPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.1 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Crawford 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 MN86-0041-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.97 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Crawford Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger.
- Buffalo WwtpBuffalo · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MN0040649Major
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Crawford Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Crawford Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 110.43 acres.
Is Crawford Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Crawford Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2017). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet and an average depth of 3.6 feet. The lake covers 110.43 acres.
What fish are in Crawford Lake?
- Fish species found in Crawford Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Crawford Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Crawford Lake?
- Crawford Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crawford Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crawford 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 Crawford Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA42 samples · 2023–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory