French Lake
Wright County, Minnesota346 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for French Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
French Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 346.37 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at French Lake. DNR survey details →
French Lake is a 346-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet (17-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, French Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
French Lake covers about 350 acres in Wright County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 2, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near French Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What French Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 2
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. French Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether French 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 French Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for French 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 4.3 ft. Phosphorus 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23.1 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 46µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 23.1µg/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. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about French Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
French Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 304 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full French Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at French Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows French Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 53.71 | 3–8 in 2025-07-07 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 36.82 | 5–19 in 2025-07-07 | 1.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 17.56 | 4–13 in 2025-07-07 | 0.26 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.12 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 11.28 | 5–8 in 2025-07-07 | 0.1 lb |
| White Crappie | 10.08 | 4 in 2025-07-07 | 0.26 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 Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-07-07 survey
French Lake is a 346-acre lake located three miles southwest of the City of Annandale. The lake is highly productive and has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The watershed is large, and land use is primarily cultivated crops (47%). Summer water clarity is relatively poor and was 1.5 feet in July. Additionally, the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for French Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FrenchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FrenchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FrenchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
50 ft
Average depth
16.6 ft
Surface area
346 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
45%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,007 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- French 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 French Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near French 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around French Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near French 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 French 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+4.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 2
Earliest Mar 7, 2024 · Latest May 2, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 13, 2018 · Latest Dec 19, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 24
2025
36 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
French Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0273-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about French Lake
Where is French Lake?
- French Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of French Lake?
- French Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 46 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 346.37 acres.
Is French Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. French Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of French Lake?
- French Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 304 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is French Lake?
- French Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet and an average depth of 16.6 feet. The lake covers 346.37 acres.
What fish are in French Lake?
- Fish species found in French Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. French Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at French Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at French Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows French Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does French Lake thaw?
- French Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 244 days.
Are there boat ramps on French Lake?
- French Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include French Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at French Lake?
- French 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 French Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest 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 readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near French Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
166 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
MNPCA166 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate