Freeborn Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota248 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Freeborn Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- zebra mussel
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Freeborn Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 247.63 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 24, 2020 caught 10.50 walleye per gill net at Freeborn Lake. DNR survey details →
Freeborn Lake is a 248-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet (12-foot average). The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Freeborn Lake ranks #33 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Freeborn Lake covers about 250 acres in Douglas County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Freeborn Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Freeborn Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Freeborn 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 Freeborn Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Freeborn Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16.9 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 35µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 16.9µg/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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Freeborn Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 24, 2020 caught 10.50 walleye per gill net at Freeborn Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Freeborn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-08-24 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2020-08-24 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 68.16 | 3–8 in 2020-08-24 | 0.19 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 67.59 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 28.75 | 7–15 in 2020-08-24 | 1.24 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 28.03 | 8–14 in 2020-08-24 | 0.8 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.01 | 5–7 in 2020-08-24 | 0.15 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.
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2020-08-24 survey
Freeborn Lake (247 acres) is a shallow, highly productive basin located north of Farwell. A concrete public access is found on the western shoreline off County Road 96. Average and maximum depths are 12 and 18 feet, respectively. Due to high productivity, water clarity was moderate (2.5 feet) at the time of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Freeborn Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FreebornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Freeborn (0938)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FreebornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FreebornPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Average depth
12 ft
Surface area
248 acres
Shoreline
3.5 mi
Littoral zone
69%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,355 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Freeborn LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Freeborn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Freeborn Lake in Douglas 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 Freeborn Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Freeborn 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Freeborn Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Freeborn Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Farwell Kensington WwtfDouglas County · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MN0065293
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 Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Freeborn Lake
Where is Freeborn Lake?
- Freeborn Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Freeborn Lake?
- Freeborn Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 247.63 acres.
Is Freeborn Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Freeborn Lake?
- Freeborn Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 247.63 acres.
What fish are in Freeborn Lake?
- Fish species found in Freeborn Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Freeborn Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Freeborn Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 24, 2020 caught 10.50 walleye per gill net at Freeborn Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Freeborn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Freeborn Lake?
- Freeborn Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Freeborn Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Freeborn Lake?
- Freeborn Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Freeborn Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA8 samples · 2024
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
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