Little Birch Lake
Little Birch Lake in Todd County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 89 ft. Surface area: 839.44 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 89 ft
- Area
- 839 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 231 days
Next lake in Todd County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Little Birch Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Little Birch Lake is a 839-acre mesotrophic lake in Todd County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 89 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Todd County, Little Birch Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Birch Lake in Todd 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Birch Lake
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Water Temperature
Little Birch Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 61°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 264 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Birch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Little Birch Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (263,027 cells/mL) on May 8, 2024.
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 | 89 ft |
| Surface Area | 839 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Birch LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Birch 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
29 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 35.80 | — |
| Walleye | 17.16 | 1.44 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.15 | 0.19 lb |
| CNM | 10.95 | — |
| IOD | 10.10 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.09 | 0.94 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.
Walleye
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-08-19 survey
Little Birch Lake (DOW# 77-0089; Lake Class 22) is an 839-acre lake located near Grey Eagle, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the northwest shore. Little Birch Lake has 8.61 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 89 feet. The lake is primarily…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Birch Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little BirchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Birch (0908)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little BirchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little BirchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.096 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.56 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.78 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 231 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-22 (2016) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2007-12-01 (2007) | 2015-12-20 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-24
EPA Impairment Status
Little Birch 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 MN77-0089-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 8 lakes in Todd County
Nearby Lakes in Todd County
Frequently asked questions about Little Birch Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Birch Lake?
- Little Birch Lake in Todd County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 89 ft. Surface area: 839.44 acres.
Is Little Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Little Birch Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Birch Lake?
- Little Birch Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, from 264 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Birch Lake?
- Little Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 89 feet. The lake covers 839.44 acres.
What fish are in Little Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Birch Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Birch Lake is located in Todd County, Minnesota.
When does Little Birch Lake thaw?
- Little Birch Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 231 days.
Does Little Birch Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Little Birch Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (263,027 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Little Birch Lake?
- Little Birch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Birch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Birch Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
271 measurements from 6 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
MNPCA271 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate