Foster Lake
Wright County, Minnesota115 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Foster Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
Foster Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 179 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 97 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 115.3 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 5, 1985 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Foster Lake. DNR survey details →
Foster Lake is a 115-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Foster Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
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. Foster Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Foster 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 Foster Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Foster Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 179 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 97 µg/L. TSI 75.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 179µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 97µg/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. | 75 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Foster Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 5, 1985 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Foster Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Foster 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: 1985-06-05 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1985-06-05 (Standard Survey)
41 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 46.75 | 0.26 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 2.50 | 2.3 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 2.50 | 0.24 lb | |
| White Sucker | 0.50 | 0.4 lb | |
| Bluegill | 0.50 | 0.25 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 1985-06-05 survey
Northern Pike abundance is about average (2/gill net, 3/trap net) for this area. Ages 2-6 were sampled and growth is above average. Condition appears poor. Black Crappie (3/trap net) is the most abundant panfish. Only two age classes were sampled and growth is above average. Bluegill are scarce (0.5/trap net), as are…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Foster Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FosterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
10 ft
Average depth
5.6 ft
Surface area
115 acres
Shoreline
2.3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
850 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Foster Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Foster 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 Foster Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Foster 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 Foster Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Foster Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-22.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-3.29 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Foster 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 MN86-0001-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Foster Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Otsego East WwtpOtsego · 2 mi away · NPDES MN0064190Major
- Albertville WwtpAlbertville · 3.7 mi away · NPDES MN0050954Recent violation
- Riverbend Mobile Home Park WwElk River · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MN0042251
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 Foster Lake
Where is Foster Lake?
- Foster 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 Foster Lake?
- Foster Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 179 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 97 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 115.3 acres.
Is Foster Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Foster Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Foster Lake?
- Foster Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and an average depth of 5.6 feet. The lake covers 115.3 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Foster Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 5, 1985 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Foster Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Foster 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.
Can I fish at Foster Lake?
- Public access to Foster Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Foster Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest 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 readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Foster Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
76 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA76 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 (1)
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