North Brown'S Lake
North Brown'S Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 67.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 312.23 acres.
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 41 ft
- Area
- 312 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 239 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near North Brown'S Lake →
Next lake in Stearns County
North Brown'S Lake is a 312-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 41 feet (18-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, North Brown'S Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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)
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 67.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 67.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near North Brown'S Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Brown'S Lake in Stearns 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 North Brown'S Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near North Brown'S Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
North Brown'S Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Oct (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 153 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Brown'S Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 41 ft |
| Average Depth | 18.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 312 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- North Browns LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Brown'S Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 177.16 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 33.12 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluegill | 24.20 | 0.18 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 15.77 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.44 | 1.25 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.96 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-06-13 survey
North Browns is a 324-acre lake located five miles north of Eden Valley in southern Stearns County. It has a maximum depth of 41 feet and a large watershed dominated by agriculture. . The lake is primarily managed for Walleye and has a public access is located on the northeast end of the lake. This survey was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Brown'S Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — North Brown'sFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — North Brown'sFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North Brown'sPublic 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 | -0.108 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +11.69 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.44 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 239 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2013-05-07 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-15 (2014) | 2024-01-08 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-28
EPA Impairment Status
North Brown'S 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 MN73-0147-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #26 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
North Brown'S Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about North Brown'S Lake
What is the water quality grade for North Brown'S Lake?
- North Brown'S Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 67.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 312.23 acres.
Is North Brown'S 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. North Brown'S Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of North Brown'S Lake?
- North Brown'S Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 153 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Brown'S Lake?
- North Brown'S Lake has a maximum depth of 41 feet and an average depth of 18.2 feet. The lake covers 312.23 acres.
What fish are in North Brown'S Lake?
- Fish species found in North Brown'S Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. North Brown'S Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does North Brown'S Lake thaw?
- North Brown'S Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Are there boat ramps on North Brown'S Lake?
- North Brown'S Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Browns Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore North Brown'S Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
195 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA195 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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