Fountain Lake
Fountain Lake in Freeborn County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 521.54 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 522 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
Next lake in Freeborn County
Why Fountain Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Fountain Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Fountain Lake is a 522-acre lake in Freeborn County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Fountain Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.7 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Fountain Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fountain Lake in Freeborn 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 Fountain Lake
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Water Temperature
Fountain Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fountain Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 522 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Frank Hall ParkPublic
- Brookside ParkPublic
- North Edgewater BayPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fountain Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 49.40 | 0.34 lb |
| Walleye | 27.68 | 1.7 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 26.94 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 24.96 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.25 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.22 | 1.46 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 Bullhead
Walleye
Green Sunfish
Black Crappie
From the 2024-08-12 survey
Fountain Lake is a 521-acre lake located within the town of Albert Lea in Freeborn County. Two city-owned public accesses are located on the northwest side of Edgewater Bay off State Hwy 13 and in the narrows off State Hwy 20 in Brookside Park. The maximum depth is 14 feet. Fountain Lake is considered eutrophic with…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fountain Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FountainFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FountainFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FountainPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.004 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (112 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 1953-04-30 (1953) |
| Ice-In | 2024-01-06 (2024) | 2024-01-06 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-22
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fountain Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fountain Lake (completed 1911), built primarily for recreation on the Shell Rock River; other-type dam, 21 ft tall and 105 ft long.
- Surface area
- 555 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 12,300 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 93 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- City of Albert Lea
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00360 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Fountain Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN24-0018-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.84 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Fountain Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Lou-Rich IncAlbert Lea · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MN0000086
- Mdnr-Myre-Big Island St ParkAlbert Lea · 4.3 mi away · NPDES MN0033740
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.
Graded lakes near Fountain Lake
Fountain Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Freeborn County
Frequently asked questions about Fountain Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake in Freeborn County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 521.54 acres.
Is Fountain Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fountain Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 521.54 acres.
What fish are in Fountain Lake?
- Fish species found in Fountain Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, goldfish, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fountain Lake is located in Freeborn County, Minnesota.
When does Fountain Lake thaw?
- Fountain Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6.
Are there boat ramps on Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Frank Hall Park, Brookside Park, North Edgewater Bay. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fountain Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
42 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
MNPCA42 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate