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LakeQuality
Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water

Clay County Lake Quality

Minnesota, 43 lakes, measured by Minnesota PCA

The county-level average smooths over real differences — a single agricultural watershed near the southwest corner can pull the average down even if the rest of the county runs clean. 1 of those lake carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Taken together, the monitored lakes of Clay County sit near the low-nutrient end of the Minnesota range.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the readings sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest measured lake is Barnesville Lake.

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Where to stay near Clay County

Top-rated places to stay near Clay County

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Quick Answers for Clay County

Cleanest lakes in Clay County →Cleanest lakes in Minnesota →Best swimming lakes in Minnesota →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Barnesville Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.

DNR Reports (2)

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Clay County. browse all reports →

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

All Lakes in Clay County

43 lakes · 1 ranked on readings, 42 without enough sampling1 lake ranked on readings · 42 without enough sampling, hidden

#LakeClarityPhosphorusAlgaeTrophicMax DepthAccess
1Barnesville LakeClayNo recent samples16.5 µg/L2.9 µg/LNo recent samples17 ftCarry-in
Bjorndahl LakeClay2.3 ftNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples✓ Public
Solem LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Tansem LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Ranum LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Whisky LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Maple LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Anderson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Thorson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Solum LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Christ Olson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Knudson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Moe LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Perch LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lee LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples36 ftNot recorded
Burk LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Silver LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples38 ft✓ Public
Doran LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake ThreeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake TwoClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples6.6 ftNot recorded
Ness LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Overson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Erickson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Jergenson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Axberg LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples13.1 ftNot recorded
Lake ElevenClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake TenClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples17 ftNot recorded
Lake FifteenClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples20 ft✓ Public
Lake FourteenClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake ThirteenClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Mansfield LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake LauraClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Lake EmmaClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Nelson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Rushfieldt LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Maria LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples9.8 ftNot recorded
Anderson LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Swede Grove LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples6.6 ftNot recorded
Melbye LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Tilde LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samples13 ft✓ Public
Flora LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Solwald LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded
Tatley LakeClayNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNo recent samplesNot recorded

NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.

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Browse every Minnesota lake, or the full directory of lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..

Source: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR. See data sources.