Scott County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 47 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. 21 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. Phosphorus and algae readings vary widely across Scott County; the per-lake pages below carry the numbers.
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. Cate'S Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Scott County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Cate'S Lake — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Scott County
DNR Reports (31)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Scott County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —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
- —Fish Stocking History — CedarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CedarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CrystalFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower PriorFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower PriorPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — McColl PondFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — McMahonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — McMahonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Mill PondFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — O'DowdFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — O'DowdPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SpringFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpringPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Upper PriorFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Upper PriorPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Scott County
47 lakes · 21 ranked on readings, 26 without enough sampling21 lakes ranked on readings · 26 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cate'S LakeScott | 5.6 ft | 20 µg/L | 3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 2 | Blue LakeScott | 1.9 ft | 164.5 µg/L | 14.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 50 ft | Carry-in |
| 3 | Upper Prior LakeScott | 5 ft | 38.7 µg/L | 8.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 50 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | Lower Prior LakeScott | 10 ft | 27 µg/L | 4.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 60 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | O'Dowd LakeScott | 5.5 ft | 27.5 µg/L | 7.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 22 ft | ✓ Public |
| 6 | Central Mystic LakeScott | No recent samples | 33.5 µg/L | 9.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 7 | Deans LakeScott | No recent samples | 33 µg/L | 3.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 8 | Pike LakeScott | 2.3 ft | 189.8 µg/L | 20.6 µg/L | No recent samples | 9 ft | Carry-in |
| 9 | Unnamed LakeScott | 2.9 ft | 83.5 µg/L | 12.4 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 10 | Fish LakeScott | 3.9 ft | 60 µg/L | 20.2 µg/L | No recent samples | 28 ft | ✓ Public |
| 11 | Rice LakeScott | 1.7 ft | 728 µg/L | 24.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 12 | Crystal LakeScott | 6.8 ft | 51 µg/L | 12.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 26 ft | Carry-in |
| 13 | Buck LakeScott | 2.6 ft | 272 µg/L | 14 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 14 | Spring LakeScott | 6.2 ft | 64.6 µg/L | 14.3 µg/L | No recent samples | 37 ft | ✓ Public |
| 15 | Cedar LakeScott | 2 ft | 103 µg/L | 62 µg/L | No recent samples | 13 ft | ✓ Public |
| 16 | Cleary LakeScott | 2.3 ft | 186.6 µg/L | 61.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 9 ft | ✓ Public |
| 17 | Swamp LakeScott | 2.1 ft | 122 µg/L | 38 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 18 | Mcmahon LakeScott | 2.3 ft | 71 µg/L | 36 µg/L | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ Public |
| 19 | Fisher LakeScott | 1.1 ft | 286 µg/L | 34.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 20 | Thole LakeScott | 2.8 ft | 76.5 µg/L | 39 µg/L | No recent samples | 12 ft | ✓ Public |
| 21 | East Arctic LakeScott | No recent samples | 94.5 µg/L | 44.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| Mill PondScott | 4.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Krenz LakeScott | 16.2 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in | |
| Mccoll PondScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 11 ft | Carry-in | |
| Fisher LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Jeffers PondScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Lower Prior LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 54.9 ft | Not recorded | |
| Kane LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Rice LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Sutton LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Campbell LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Howard LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Schneider LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 9 ft | Not recorded | |
| Louisville SwampScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Geis LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 3.7 ft | Not recorded | |
| Ahlswede LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Gifford LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 8 ft | Not recorded | |
| Horseshoe LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Clark LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Pleasant LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 5.7 ft | Not recorded | |
| Nash LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Hickey LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Cynthia LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 9.8 ft | Not recorded | |
| Lennon LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Saint Catherine LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 8 ft | Not recorded | |
| Murphy LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 20.6 ft | Not recorded | |
| Hanrahan LakeScott | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 7.9 ft | Not 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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Source: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR. See data sources.