Dean Lake
Wright County, Minnesota176 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Dean Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
Dean Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2019 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Dean Lake. DNR survey details →
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). 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Dean Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Dean Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Dean 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 Dean Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Dean Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 324 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 39.2 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 324µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 39.2µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 70 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Dean Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Dean Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (72°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2019 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Dean Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dean 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-29 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2019-07-29 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 69.51 | 1–11 in 2019-07-29 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 67.48 | 8–15 in 2019-07-29 | 0.45 lb |
| Bluegill | 55.04 | 3–7 in 2019-07-29 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.07 | 6–20 in 2019-07-29 | 2.47 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.81 | 5–8 in 2011-07-25 | 0.12 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Average depth
10.4 ft
Surface area
176 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
71%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
925 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Dean LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Dean Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Dean 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dean Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+38.43 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-22.72 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
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.
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Dean Lake
Where is Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Dean Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Dean Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 29, 2019 caught 2.83 walleye per gill net at Dean Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dean 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.
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.
Can I fish at Dean Lake?
- Dean Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Dean Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
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