Rice County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 12 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Rice County has 12 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. On average, Rice County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Kelly Lake (B) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Rice County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Kelly Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (33)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Rice County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WellsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — UnionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShieldsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RoberdsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MazaskaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HuntFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HorseshoeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DudleyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CircleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CedarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CedarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Rice County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kelly Lake | B | 8.2 ft | - | 29 µg/L |
| 2 | Union Lake | C | 3 ft | 10 ft | 1.4 µg/L |
| 3 | Dudley Lake | C | 9 ft | 60 ft | 47 µg/L |
| 4 | Mazaska Lake | D | 2.5 ft | 50 ft | 49 µg/L |
| 5 | Cedar Lake | D | 2 ft | 42 ft | 83 µg/L |
| 6 | Fox Lake | D | 3 ft | 47 ft | 66 µg/L |
| 7 | Horseshoe Lake | F | 2 ft | 26 ft | - |
| 8 | Roberds Lake | F | 2 ft | 43 ft | 300 µg/L |
| 9 | Circle Lake | F | 1.5 ft | 14 ft | 484.5 µg/L |
| 10 | Shields Lake | F | 2.5 ft | 42 ft | - |
| 11 | Wells Lake | F | 1.5 ft | 4 ft | - |
| 12 | Hunt Lake | F | 3 ft | 27 ft | 121 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.