Stearns County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 55 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Stearns County in Minnesota carries 55 graded lakes — one of the lake-richer counties in our dataset. Coverage that dense usually reflects active lake-association sampling alongside state-agency monitoring. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.
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. Crooked Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Stearns County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Crooked Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (128)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Stearns County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ZumwaldeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WatabFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WarnerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — UhlenkoltsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Two RiversFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SylviaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — School SectionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SchneiderFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SaukFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SagataganFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RiceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Stearns County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crooked Lake | A | 15 ft | 35 ft | 14 µg/L |
| 2 | Big Watab Lake | A | 20.5 ft | 123 ft | - |
| 3 | Kreighle Lake | A | 18 ft | 66 ft | - |
| 4 | Big Fish Lake | A | 20.7 ft | 70 ft | 9 µg/L |
| 5 | Sagatagan Lake | A | 17 ft | 42 ft | - |
| 6 | Big Spunk Lake | A | 10 ft | 38 ft | 14 µg/L |
| 7 | Watab Lake | A | 10.5 ft | 54 ft | 5 µg/L |
| 8 | Long Lake | B | 13 ft | 28 ft | 17 µg/L |
| 9 | Pelican Lake | B | 13.5 ft | 46 ft | - |
| 10 | Long Lake | B | 13.6 ft | 46 ft | - |
| 11 | Unnamed Lake | B | 11 ft | - | - |
| 12 | Otter Lake | B | 9 ft | 51 ft | 18 µg/L |
| 13 | Pirz Lake | B | 11.2 ft | - | 25 µg/L |
| 14 | Carnelian Lake | B | 12.5 ft | 36 ft | - |
| 15 | Sylvia Lake | B | 10 ft | 56 ft | - |
| 16 | Middle Spunk Lake | B | 12 ft | 81 ft | - |
| 17 | Pleasant Lake | B | 13 ft | 33 ft | - |
| 18 | Two Rivers Lake | B | 11.2 ft | 63 ft | - |
| 19 | Ochotto Lake | B | 13.1 ft | 40 ft | - |
| 20 | School Section Lake | B | 9.8 ft | 14 ft | 14 µg/L |
| 21 | Schneider Lake | B | 19.7 ft | 52 ft | 59 µg/L |
| 22 | Big Lake | B | 6.9 ft | 42 ft | 26 µg/L |
| 23 | Kraemer Lake | B | 6.9 ft | 30 ft | 22 µg/L |
| 24 | George Lake | B | 7.3 ft | 32 ft | 23 µg/L |
| 25 | Grand Lake | B | 8 ft | 34 ft | 27 µg/L |
| 26 | Koronis Lake | C | 6 ft | 132 ft | 26 µg/L |
| 27 | Black Oak Lake | C | 9.5 ft | 19 ft | - |
| 28 | Kings Lake | C | 7.4 ft | 44 ft | 45 µg/L |
| 29 | Lower Spunk Lake | C | 9.5 ft | 27.5 ft | - |
| 30 | Augusta Lake | C | 5.3 ft | 82 ft | 25 µg/L |
| 31 | Warner Lake | C | 4 ft | 38 ft | 23 µg/L |
| 32 | Bolfing Lake | C | 7.6 ft | 36 ft | 56 µg/L |
| 33 | Sauk Lake | C | 3.5 ft | 61 ft | 49 µg/L |
| 34 | Louisa Lake | C | 5.2 ft | 44 ft | 55 µg/L |
| 35 | Pearl Lake | C | 3.9 ft | 17 ft | 34 µg/L |
| 36 | Unnamed Lake | D | 3.4 ft | - | - |
| 37 | Bear Lake | D | 6 ft | - | - |
| 38 | Rice Lake | D | 2.6 ft | 41 ft | 49 µg/L |
| 39 | Goodners Lake | D | 5 ft | 24 ft | 71 µg/L |
| 40 | North Brown'S Lake | D | 4 ft | 41 ft | 61 µg/L |
| 41 | Cedar Island Lake | D | 4 ft | 75 ft | 60.5 µg/L |
| 42 | Great Northern Lake | D | 4 ft | 16.2 ft | - |
| 43 | Becker Lake | D | 5.7 ft | 20 ft | - |
| 44 | Marie Lake | D | 3.9 ft | 36 ft | 73 µg/L |
| 45 | Mccormic Lake | D | - | - | 67 µg/L |
| 46 | Horseshoe Lake | D | 4 ft | 57 ft | 120 µg/L |
| 47 | Mud Lake | F | 3 ft | 20 ft | 166 µg/L |
| 48 | Long Lake | F | 2.5 ft | 35 ft | 324.5 µg/L |
| 49 | Sand Lake | F | 2.5 ft | 15 ft | - |
| 50 | Zumwalde Lake | F | 2.3 ft | 23 ft | - |
| 51 | Krays Lake | F | 3 ft | 40 ft | 150 µg/L |
| 52 | Knaus Lake | F | 2.5 ft | 20 ft | 126 µg/L |
| 53 | Uhlenkolts Lake | F | 0.7 ft | 18 ft | 187 µg/L |
| 54 | Henry Lake | F | 0.5 ft | - | - |
| 55 | Eden Lake | F | 3 ft | 77 ft | 179.5 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.