Ardmore Lake
Ardmore Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 285 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 130 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 13.28 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 13 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Ardmore Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Ardmore Lake is a 13-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Ardmore Lake ranks #67 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 285 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 130 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 79.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 285 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 130 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 79 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Ardmore Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ardmore Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Ardmore Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Ardmore Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Ardmore Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 56°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 58°F) and coldest in Apr (about 44°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 654 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ardmore Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 13 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 68% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Baker Park ReservePublic
Fishing Ardmore Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1992-07-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 28.02 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 14.77 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.50 | 0.28 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 3.72 | 0.14 lb |
| Common Carp | 2.89 | 1.78 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.65 | 0.23 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1992-07-15 survey
BLG DOMINATE THE FISH POPULATION, WITH A TRAPNET CATCH 3.4 TIMES THE LOCAL MEDIAN AND 4 TIMES THE STATE MEDIAN. PSD WAS CALCULATED AT 33.6%, WITH RSD=0.9%. HSF WERE CAPTURED IN NUMBERS ALMOST THREE TIMES THE TRAPNET LOCAL MEDIAN AND OVER FIVE TIMES THE STATE MEDIAN. BOF, CARP, AND GOS WERE SAMPLED IN NUMBERS SLIGHTLY…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ardmore Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ArdmoreFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.014 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -23.78 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.54 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ardmore Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0153-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #67 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Ardmore Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Ardmore Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ardmore Lake?
- Ardmore Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 285 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 130 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 13.28 acres.
Is Ardmore Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Ardmore Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 130 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ardmore Lake?
- Ardmore Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 654 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ardmore Lake?
- Ardmore Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 13.28 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Ardmore Lake?
- Ardmore Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Baker Park Reserve. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ardmore Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
260 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA260 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory