Auburn Lake
Auburn Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 84 ft. Surface area: 290.55 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 52°F
- Max depth
- 84 ft
- Area
- 291 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
Next lake in Carver County
Auburn Lake is a 291-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 84 feet (23-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Auburn Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 31 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Auburn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Auburn Lake in Carver 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.
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Water Temperature
Auburn Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 52°F) and coldest in Apr (about 43°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 2,429 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Auburn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Auburn Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (59,156 cells/mL) on October 25, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 84 ft |
| Average Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 291 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Carver County Park ReservePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Auburn Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 297.26 | 1.1 lb |
| Bluegill | 34.37 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 22.94 | 0.45 lb |
| CNM | 16.13 | — |
| Black Crappie | 15.16 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.12 | 0.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
From the 2022-06-27 survey
Auburn is a 290-acre (158 littoral acres) lake with a maximum depth of 84 feet. Auburn is located west of Victoria, MN in northern Carver County. Auburn is primarily managed for Northern Pike, but also supports catchable populations of Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie. Public water access is provided by…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Auburn Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AuburnFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — AuburnPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.126 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +15.14 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8.02 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-03-25 (2021) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2017-12-07 (2017) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-10
EPA Impairment Status
Auburn Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0044-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.44 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Auburn Lake
What is the water quality grade for Auburn Lake?
- Auburn Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 84 ft. Surface area: 290.55 acres.
Is Auburn Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Auburn Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Auburn Lake?
- Auburn Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August, from 2,429 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Auburn Lake?
- Auburn Lake has a maximum depth of 84 feet and an average depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 290.55 acres.
What fish are in Auburn Lake?
- Fish species found in Auburn Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Auburn Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
When does Auburn Lake thaw?
- Auburn Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10.
Does Auburn Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Auburn Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (59,156 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Auburn Lake?
- Auburn Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Carver County Park Reserve. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Auburn Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carver County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Auburn Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
300 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA300 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate