Lake information report

Name: Burgen (Burgans)

Nearest Town: Alexandria Primary County: Douglas Survey Date: 07/28/2008 Inventory Number: 21004900

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Public Access Information

Lake Characteristics

Fish Sampled for the 2008 Survey Year

Length of Selected Species (Trapnet, Gillnet) Sampled for the 2008 Survey Year

Fish Stocking Activity

Fish Stocked by Species for the Last Ten Years

Fish Consumption Guidelines

These fish consumption guidelines help people make choices about which fish to eat and how often. Following the guidelines enables people to reduce their exposure to contaminants while still enjoying the many benefits from fish.

Pregnant Women, Women who may become pregnant and Children under age 15

General Population

DOWID - MN DNR, Divion of Waters' lake ID number.

Contaminants listed were measured at levels high enough to warrant a recommendation to limit consumption.

Listing of consumption guidelines do not imply the fish are legal to keep, MN DNR fishing regulations should be consulted.

Dioxin
Mercury
PCBS - Polychlorinated biphenyls
PFOS - Perfluorooctane sulfanate

Status of the Fishery (as of 07/28/2008)

Lake Burgen is a 184-acre basin located just southeast of the city of Alexandria. It is part of the Alexandria Chain of Lakes, but the channel connecting Lake Burgen to Lake Victoria is non-navigable. A concrete public access is located along the north shoreline. The lake is characterized by steeply sloped shoreline, rapid drop offs, and limited shallow area. This limits abundance and distribution of aquatic vegetation that provides critical habitat for many fish species. The relatively undeveloped western shoreline is more gradually sloped and provides some shallow water habitat. This area supports the remaining stands of hardstem bulrush in Lake Burgen. It is important to protect and preserve this vegetation as residential development along the western shoreline increases. Water quality and clarity are considered good. Secchi disk transparency typically exceeds 6.0 feet during summer months.

Lake Burgen is primarily managed as a bass-panfish fishery with secondary management efforts directed toward walleye. Largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie are abundant. Size structure of these populations is considered good and should prove favorable to most anglers. Walleye are also present. Anglers targeting Minnesota's state fish can expect limited abundance, but most fish caught will be larger individuals. Supplemental stockings maintain this limited population. Similar to the walleye population, yellow perch also exhibit low abundance but large average size. The largest perch sampled in 2008 exceeded 13.0 inches in length. Northern pike abundance is also considered low. Most fish are relatively small, but larger pike are present. An experimental 24-inch maximum size limit for northern pike was imposed on Lake Burgen from 1997-2007 in attempt to increase size structure of this population. Expected benefits of the regulation were not realized and the regulation was rescinded in 2008. Currently, no special or experimental regulations are in effect on Lake Burgen.

Other species sampled during the 2008 survey included: black, brown, and yellow bullhead, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, rock bass, pumpkinseed, and white sucker. The next lake survey is scheduled for 2012. ?

For more information on this lake, contact: Area Fisheries Supervisor 23070 North Lakeshore Dr Glenwood, MN 56334 Phone: (320) 634-4573 Internet: Glenwood Fisheries E-Mail: Glenwood.Fisheries@state.mn.us	Lake maps can be obtained from: Minnesota Bookstore 660 Olive Street St. Paul, MN 55155 (651) 297-3000 or (800) 657-3757 To order, use D0078 for the map-id.
For general DNR Information, contact: DNR Information Center 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 TDD: (651) 296-6157 or (888) MINNDNR Internet: www.dnr.state.mn.us E-Mail: info.dnr@state.mn.us	Turn in Poachers (TIP):     Toll-free: (800) 652-9093