Hennepin County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 95 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Hennepin County has 95 graded lakes, enough that within-county variation matters as much as the county average. Some are deep glacial basins, others are shallow agricultural-watershed waters, and the grade distribution reflects that mix. On average, Hennepin County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Little Long Lake (A); the most-stressed is Mud Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Hennepin County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Little Long Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (126)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Hennepin County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WirthFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WinterhalterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WhaletailFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WeaverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TanagerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TaftFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SweeneyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StaringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpurzemFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SnellingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SchandellFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Hennepin County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Long Lake | A | 19 ft | 45 ft | 21.3 µg/L |
| 2 | Pomerleau Lake | B | 10.3 ft | 26 ft | 20.5 µg/L |
| 3 | Riley Lake | B | 12.6 ft | 49 ft | 20 µg/L |
| 4 | Bush Lake | B | 14 ft | 28 ft | - |
| 5 | Minnetonka Lake | B | 9.5 ft | 113 ft | 27 µg/L |
| 6 | Unnamed Lake | B | 4.3 ft | - | 17.5 µg/L |
| 7 | Fish Lake | B | 8.7 ft | 49 ft | 26.3 µg/L |
| 8 | Sweeney-Twin Lake | B | 8.2 ft | - | 22 µg/L |
| 9 | Sweeney Lake | B | 6.9 ft | 28 ft | 23 µg/L |
| 10 | Brownie Lake | B | 4.8 ft | 47 ft | 3.4 µg/L |
| 11 | Peter Lake | B | 9.9 ft | - | 43.4 µg/L |
| 12 | Magda Lake | B | 14.1 ft | - | 59 µg/L |
| 13 | Round Lake | C | 7.4 ft | 37 ft | 28 µg/L |
| 14 | Bryant Lake | C | 9.8 ft | 45 ft | 35 µg/L |
| 15 | Rice Marsh Lake | C | 7.7 ft | - | 34 µg/L |
| 16 | Bde Maka Ska Lake | C | 10.7 ft | 82 ft | 86 µg/L |
| 17 | Hadley Lake | C | 8 ft | - | - |
| 18 | Wirth Lake | C | 9.7 ft | 25 ft | 31 µg/L |
| 19 | Spring Lake | C | 3.1 ft | - | 7.1 µg/L |
| 20 | Parkers Lake | C | 7.2 ft | 37 ft | 48.2 µg/L |
| 21 | Westwood Lake | C | 3.9 ft | - | 24 µg/L |
| 22 | Medicine Lake | C | 8.2 ft | 49 ft | 74.2 µg/L |
| 23 | Bass Lake | C | 4.8 ft | 31 ft | 31.5 µg/L |
| 24 | Normandale Lake | C | 3.5 ft | - | 57 µg/L |
| 25 | Silver Lake | C | 5.6 ft | - | 58 µg/L |
| 26 | Crystal Lake | C | 3.5 ft | 39 ft | 58 µg/L |
| 27 | Rebecca Lake | C | 4.4 ft | 30 ft | 44.9 µg/L |
| 28 | Harriet Lake | C | 10.5 ft | 87 ft | 185.5 µg/L |
| 29 | Idlewild Lake | C | 5.9 ft | 9 ft | 37 µg/L |
| 30 | Hyland Lake | C | 4.6 ft | 12 ft | 39.1 µg/L |
| 31 | Duck Lake | C | 6.2 ft | - | 34 µg/L |
| 32 | Lake of the Isles | C | 4.9 ft | 31 ft | 51.5 µg/L |
| 33 | Weaver Lake | C | 5.1 ft | 57 ft | 37.3 µg/L |
| 34 | Schmidt Lake | C | 5.6 ft | 25 ft | 51 µg/L |
| 35 | Forest Lake | C | 3.8 ft | 42 ft | 46.5 µg/L |
| 36 | Red Rock Lake | D | 2.8 ft | 16 ft | 35.5 µg/L |
| 37 | Long Lake | D | 3.1 ft | 33 ft | 48 µg/L |
| 38 | Unnamed Lake | D | 2.6 ft | - | 52.8 µg/L |
| 39 | Twin Lake | D | 5.9 ft | 44 ft | 63.5 µg/L |
| 40 | Whaletail Lake | D | 3.3 ft | 22 ft | 47.6 µg/L |
| 41 | Cedar Lake | D | 4.7 ft | 51 ft | 84.5 µg/L |
| 42 | Mitchell Lake | D | 3 ft | 19 ft | 37 µg/L |
| 43 | Mccoy Lake | D | 2.1 ft | - | 47 µg/L |
| 44 | Independence Lake | D | 4.9 ft | 58 ft | 66.3 µg/L |
| 45 | Thomas Lake | D | 3.4 ft | - | 78.3 µg/L |
| 46 | East Sarah Lake | D | 3.5 ft | 59 ft | - |
| 47 | Anderson Lake | D | 5 ft | 9 ft | - |
| 48 | Mirror Lake | D | 3.9 ft | - | - |
| 49 | Ryan Lake | D | 5.6 ft | 36 ft | - |
| 50 | Meadow Lake | D | 3.9 ft | - | 78.5 µg/L |
| 51 | Rice Lake | D | 4.5 ft | 11.5 ft | - |
| 52 | Schwappauf Lake | D | 4.4 ft | 29 ft | 65.1 µg/L |
| 53 | Eagle Lake | D | 3 ft | 34 ft | 61.5 µg/L |
| 54 | Arrowhead Lake | D | 2 ft | 7 ft | 83 µg/L |
| 55 | Camelot Lake | D | 1.3 ft | 31 ft | 75.2 µg/L |
| 56 | Nokomis Lake | D | 3.1 ft | 33 ft | 67 µg/L |
| 57 | Half Moon Lake | D | 3.9 ft | 25 ft | 115.8 µg/L |
| 58 | Sarah Lake | D | 3 ft | 59 ft | 78 µg/L |
| 59 | Tanager Lake | D | 2.3 ft | 23 ft | 82 µg/L |
| 60 | Winterhalter Lake | D | 3.9 ft | 27 ft | 121.4 µg/L |
| 61 | Champlin Mill Pond | D | 4.9 ft | 11 ft | 184.6 µg/L |
| 62 | Mud Lake | F | 0.9 ft | - | 150 µg/L |
| 63 | Mud Lake | F | 3 ft | - | 196 µg/L |
| 64 | Snelling Lake | F | 1.6 ft | 9.5 ft | - |
| 65 | Unnamed Lake | F | - | - | 220.5 µg/L |
| 66 | Wing Lake | F | 2.1 ft | - | 120 µg/L |
| 67 | Rice Lake | F | 2 ft | 11.5 ft | 348.4 µg/L |
| 68 | Ox Yoke Lake | F | 2.6 ft | - | 396 µg/L |
| 69 | Goose Lake | F | 0.8 ft | 8 ft | 132.1 µg/L |
| 70 | Powderhorn Lake | F | 1.3 ft | 24 ft | 155 µg/L |
| 71 | Diamond Lake | F | 1.4 ft | 8 ft | 171.6 µg/L |
| 72 | Diamond Lake | F | - | 5.8 ft | 96 µg/L |
| 73 | Ardmore Lake | F | 1.6 ft | 20 ft | 394.3 µg/L |
| 74 | Cornelia Lake | F | 0.8 ft | 6.5 ft | 110 µg/L |
| 75 | Hiawatha Lake | F | 2.7 ft | 33 ft | 100 µg/L |
| 76 | Langdon Lake | F | 1.5 ft | 38 ft | - |
| 77 | Rose Lake | F | 3.3 ft | - | 92 µg/L |
| 78 | Loring Lake | F | 2.6 ft | 16 ft | 92 µg/L |
| 79 | Spurzem Lake | F | 3.1 ft | 38 ft | 99.8 µg/L |
| 80 | Cedar Island Lake | F | 3 ft | - | 93 µg/L |
| 81 | Sylvan Lake | F | 1.1 ft | - | 301.1 µg/L |
| 82 | Lost Lake | F | 1.5 ft | 6 ft | 138 µg/L |
| 83 | Staring Lake | F | 2.6 ft | 16 ft | 90 µg/L |
| 84 | Indianhead Lake | F | 1.6 ft | - | 110 µg/L |
| 85 | Edina Lake | F | 0.8 ft | - | 130 µg/L |
| 86 | Rice Lake | F | 2.6 ft | - | - |
| 87 | Unn Lake | F | 2.5 ft | - | 281.5 µg/L |
| 88 | Grass Lake | F | - | - | 148 µg/L |
| 89 | Pamela Pond | F | 2.3 ft | - | - |
| 90 | Taft Lake | F | 3.3 ft | 45 ft | - |
| 91 | Northwood Lake | F | 0.5 ft | - | 443 µg/L |
| 92 | Cowley Lake | F | 0.8 ft | - | 738.6 µg/L |
| 93 | Long Meadow Lake | F | 1.6 ft | - | - |
| 94 | Gleason Lake | F | 1.7 ft | - | - |
| 95 | Snyder Lake | F | - | - | 190 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.