Steele County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 4 lakes, measured by Minnesota PCA
Steele County holds 4 monitored lakes. With a sample that small the county-level summary describes those specific waters, not necessarily every water body in the county. 1 of those lake carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county-wide picture is low-to-moderate phosphorus with clear summer transparency across most monitored lakes.
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. Beaver Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings in the county.
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Quick Answers for Steele County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Beaver Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (3)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Steele County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeaverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeaverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeaverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Steele County
4 lakes · 1 ranked on readings, 3 without enough sampling1 lake ranked on readings · 3 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beaver LakeSteele | 9.5 ft | 27 µg/L | 7.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 27 ft | ✓ Public |
| Oak Glen LakeSteele | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Rice LakeSteele | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 6 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Lonergan LakeSteele | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 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.