Scott County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 17 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Scott County's 17 graded lakes fall in the moderate-density bracket for Minnesota. 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. On average, Scott 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 Krenz Lake (A); the most-stressed is Pike Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Scott County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Krenz Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (31)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Scott County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Upper PriorFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PikeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — O'DowdFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Mill PondFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — McMahonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — McColl PondFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower PriorFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrystalFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CedarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Scott County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Krenz Lake | A | 16.2 ft | - | - |
| 2 | Deans Lake | B | - | - | 37 µg/L |
| 3 | Lower Prior Lake | B | 9.5 ft | 60 ft | 26.8 µg/L |
| 4 | Central Mystic Lake | B | - | - | 42 µg/L |
| 5 | Crystal Lake | C | 8.5 ft | 26 ft | - |
| 6 | Spring Lake | C | 7 ft | 37 ft | 41.9 µg/L |
| 7 | Mccoll Pond | C | 8 ft | 11 ft | - |
| 8 | Fish Lake | C | 3.9 ft | 28 ft | 53.2 µg/L |
| 9 | Upper Prior Lake | C | 6 ft | 50 ft | 32.7 µg/L |
| 10 | Mill Pond | D | 6 ft | 18 ft | - |
| 11 | O'Dowd Lake | D | 5 ft | 22 ft | - |
| 12 | Pike Lake | F | 2 ft | 9 ft | 181.5 µg/L |
| 13 | Cedar Lake | F | 3.1 ft | 13 ft | - |
| 14 | Cleary Lake | F | 2.3 ft | 9 ft | 172.9 µg/L |
| 15 | Fisher Lake | F | 0.7 ft | - | - |
| 16 | Mcmahon Lake | F | 3 ft | 14 ft | - |
| 17 | East Arctic Lake | F | - | - | 94.5 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.