Stowe Lake
Stowe Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 70.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 377.07 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 377 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 228 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Stowe Lake →
Next lake in Douglas County
Stowe Lake is a 377-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Stowe Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 70.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 94 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 70.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Stowe Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stowe 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Stowe Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Stowe Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Stowe Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2017–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stowe Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stowe Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (839,460 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
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 | 14 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 377 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 103% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stowe LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stowe 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 77.08 | 0.41 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.99 | 1.73 lb |
| GOS | 15.62 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.00 | — |
| Bluegill | 8.13 | 0.33 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.87 | 0.2 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.
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-06-16 survey
Stowe Lake is a 377-acre shallow, productive basin located two miles northwest of Brandon in Douglas County. Mean and maximum depths are 10 and 14 feet, respectively. This basin receives inflows from Hoplin and Wolf Creeks and outflows to the west branch of the Chippewa River. Water quality and clarity can be…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stowe Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StoweFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Stowe (1071)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StoweFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StowePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.043 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8.04 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.49 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
Estimated open water season: 228 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-06 (2024) | 2023-04-28 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-13 (2002) | 2004-12-21 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-06
EPA Impairment Status
Stowe Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0264-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Stowe Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- EvansvilleEvansville · 2.6 mi away · NPDES MN0023329
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Stowe Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Stowe Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stowe Lake?
- Stowe Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 70.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 377.07 acres.
Is Stowe 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. Stowe Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 70.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Stowe Lake?
- Stowe Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stowe Lake?
- Stowe Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 377.07 acres.
What fish are in Stowe Lake?
- Fish species found in Stowe Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Stowe Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Stowe Lake thaw?
- Stowe Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Does Stowe Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stowe Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (839,460 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Stowe Lake?
- Stowe Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stowe Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Stowe Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
67 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
MNPCA67 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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