Fox Lake
Fox Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8.5 ft. Surface area: 172.12 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 8.5 ft
- Area
- 172 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Fox Lake →
Next lake in Murray County
Fox Lake is a 172-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Fox Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. 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 0.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 48.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 78.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 197 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 48.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Lake in Murray 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 Fox Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Fox Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Fox Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fox Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 172 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 106% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fox LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fox Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Fox 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 MN51-0043-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 9 lakes in Murray County
Nearby Lakes in Murray County
Frequently asked questions about Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 197 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 48.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8.5 ft. Surface area: 172.12 acres.
Is Fox 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. Fox Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 48.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 8.5 feet. The lake covers 172.12 acres.
What fish are in Fox Lake?
- Fish species found in Fox Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow perch. Fox Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fox Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fox Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA9 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory