Foster Lake
Foster Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 115 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 Foster Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
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). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. 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. 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)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 179 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 97 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 179 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 97 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Foster Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Foster 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Average Depth | 5.6 ft |
| Surface Area | 115 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- DaytonPublic
Fishing Foster Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1985-06-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 46.75 | 0.26 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.50 | 2.3 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.50 | 0.24 lb |
| CRP | 1.38 | 1.87 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.50 | 0.4 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.50 | 0.25 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -22.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #36 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Foster Lake holds Grade F. 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 Foster Lake
What is the water quality grade for Foster Lake?
- Foster Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Foster Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 97 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
Are there boat ramps on Foster Lake?
- Foster Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dayton. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Foster Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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