Hanska Lake
Brown County, Minnesota1,795 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hanska Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
Hanska Lake in Brown County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 219 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 98.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 1794.96 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 10.78 walleye per gill net at Hanska Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–25 inches. DNR survey details →
Hanska Lake is a 1,795-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Brown County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet (5-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 3 other monitored lakes in Brown County, Hanska Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hanska Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 3
- Big water1,795 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. Hanska Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hanska 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 Hanska Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hanska Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 219 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 98.8 µg/L. TSI 78.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 219µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 98.8µg/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. | 78 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Hanska Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hanska Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 78°F) and coldest in Oct (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (48°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2021–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hanska Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 10.78 walleye per gill net at Hanska Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hanska Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Targeted Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-18 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 74.83 | 11 in 2025-08-18 | 0.58 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 55.27 | 0.01 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 32.09 | 7 in 2025-08-18 | 0.25 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.75 | 2–10 in 2021-08-29 | 0.3 lb |
| Walleye | 15.02 | 8–25 in 2025-08-18 | 1.32 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Hanska is a large-sized lake (1,794 acres) located west of the City of Hanska in Brown County. A large state-owned access with paved parking and a double cement boat ramp is present on the southeast shore. There are also two smaller boat ramps at the northwest end of the lake (Geiger Point and Godahl). There are…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hanska Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HanskaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HanskaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HanskaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Average depth
4.5 ft
Surface area
1,795 acres
Shoreline
21.3 mi
Littoral zone
99%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
34 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
994 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Godahl LandingPublic
- Hanska Lake (South)Public
- Geiger PointPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hanska Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hanska Lake in Brown 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 Hanska Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hanska 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 Hanska Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2023).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+12.5 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+11.25 µg/L/yr4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 3
Earliest Mar 1, 2007 · Latest Apr 26, 1951
Typical ice-in
Dec 8
Earliest Nov 22, 2007 · Latest Dec 13, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 11
2008
82 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Hanska 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.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN08-0026-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Hanska Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- La Salle WwtpLa Salle · 4.6 mi away · NPDES MN0067458Recent 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.
Nearby Lakes in Brown County
Frequently asked questions about Hanska Lake
Where is Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake is a lake in Brown County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake in Brown County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 219 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 98.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 1794.96 acres.
Is Hanska Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hanska Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet and an average depth of 4.5 feet. The lake covers 1794.96 acres.
What fish are in Hanska Lake?
- Fish species found in Hanska Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hanska Lake is located in Brown County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hanska Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 10.78 walleye per gill net at Hanska Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hanska Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Hanska Lake thaw?
- Hanska Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Dec 8. The open water season is approximately 249 days.
Are there boat ramps on Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Godahl Landing, Hanska Lake (South), Geiger Point. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hanska Lake?
- Hanska Lake has 3 documented boat landings 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 Hanska 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 Brown County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Hanska Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
668 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA668 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
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