Fountain Lake
Fountain Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 126.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 174 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 434.65 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in August
- 79°F
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 435 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 218 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Fountain Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Fountain Lake is a 435-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet (5-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 5 documented fish species including black bullhead, brown bullhead, and common carp. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Fountain Lake ranks #34 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 126.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 174 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 78.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 126.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 174 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Fountain Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fountain 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 Fountain Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Fountain 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 →
Water Temperature
Fountain Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 79°F) and coldest in Sep (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fountain Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fountain Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,674,943 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Average Depth | 5 ft |
| Surface Area | 435 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fountain LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fountain Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-09-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 71.50 | 0.09 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 39.67 | 0.06 lb |
| Common Carp | 1.67 | 4.56 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 0.67 | 1.09 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.17 | 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
Green Sunfish
Common Carp
Brown Bullhead
From the 2017-09-11 survey
Fountain is a 430-acre lake located southeast of the City of Montrose in Wright County. It is a relatively shallow and eutrophic lake with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Fountain Lake has relatively large amounts of floating leaf and emergent plants such as yellow water lily, cattail and bulrush. However, little…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fountain (1942)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FountainPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.013 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -8.8 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-11 (2016) | 2015-04-29 (2015) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-11 (2014) | 2007-11-24 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Fountain 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 MN86-0086-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Fountain Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Montrose WwtpMontrose · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0024228Recent violation
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 #34 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Fountain 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.
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Fountain Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 126.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 174 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 434.65 acres.
Is Fountain 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. Fountain Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 174 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and an average depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 434.65 acres.
What fish are in Fountain Lake?
- Fish species found in Fountain Lake include black bullhead, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, white sucker. Fountain Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Fountain Lake thaw?
- Fountain Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Does Fountain Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fountain Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,674,943 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Fountain Lake?
- Fountain Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fountain Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fountain Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Where this data comes from
63 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
MNPCA63 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate