Augusta Lake
Augusta Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 82 ft. Surface area: 187.12 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 53°F
- Max depth
- 82 ft
- Area
- 187 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
Next lake in Stearns County
Augusta Lake is a 187-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 82 feet (25-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Augusta Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. 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 5.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 25.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Augusta Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Augusta Lake in Stearns 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
Augusta Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 53°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 940 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Augusta Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 82 ft |
| Average Depth | 24.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 187 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bob's BayPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Augusta 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.31 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 9.53 | 0.71 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.64 | 1.55 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.47 | 0.36 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.69 | 0.08 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.37 | 2.76 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2019-07-01 survey
Augusta Lake is a 177 acre lake located on the Clearwater River near the town of South Haven in Wright County. The lake has a maximum depth of 82 feet and good water clarity; Secchi depth was 7.0 feet in early July and MPCA data show a ten year summer average of 6.6 feet. The watershed is large and land use is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Augusta Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AugustaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — AugustaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.004 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.44 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.39 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2004-04-05 (2004) | 2003-04-12 (2003) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-28 (2003) | 2004-12-17 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2005-04-08
EPA Impairment Status
Augusta 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 MN86-0281-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.72 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Augusta Lake holds Grade C. 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 Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Augusta Lake
What is the water quality grade for Augusta Lake?
- Augusta Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 82 ft. Surface area: 187.12 acres.
Is Augusta Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Augusta Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Augusta Lake?
- Augusta Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in August, from 940 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Augusta Lake?
- Augusta Lake has a maximum depth of 82 feet and an average depth of 24.9 feet. The lake covers 187.12 acres.
What fish are in Augusta Lake?
- Fish species found in Augusta Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Augusta Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Augusta Lake thaw?
- Augusta Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8.
Are there boat ramps on Augusta Lake?
- Augusta Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bob's Bay. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Augusta Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
93 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA93 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 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