Dean Lake
Dean Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 324 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 175.78 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 176 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Dean Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Dean Lake is a 176-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving 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, Dean Lake ranks #44 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 324 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 39.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 324 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 39.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Dean Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dean 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Dean Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Dean Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Dean Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 162 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dean Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Average Depth | 10.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 176 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 71% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Dean LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dean Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 69.51 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 67.48 | 0.45 lb |
| Bluegill | 55.04 | 0.19 lb |
| CNM | 16.01 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.07 | 2.47 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.81 | 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.
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2019-07-29 survey
Dean Lake is located 3.5 miles southeast of the city of Buffalo in southeastern Wright County. A public access with limited parking is located on the east side of the lake, adjacent to County Road 14. The lake is 173 acres with an average depth of 10 feet and a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake has poor water clarity…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dean Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DeanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DeanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DeanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.377 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +38.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -22.72 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Dean 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
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Dean Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Dickinson Converter StationWright County · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MN0049077
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 #44 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Dean Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Dean Lake
What is the water quality grade for Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 324 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 175.78 acres.
Is Dean Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Dean Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 39.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 162 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 10.4 feet. The lake covers 175.78 acres.
What fish are in Dean Lake?
- Fish species found in Dean Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Dean Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dean Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Dean Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
162 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
MNPCA162 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 (2)
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