Bald Eagle Lake
Bald Eagle Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 1049.09 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 36 ft
- Area
- 1,049 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 242 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bald Eagle Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Bald Eagle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Bald Eagle Lake is a 1,049-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Bald Eagle Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Bald Eagle Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bald Eagle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bald Eagle Lake in Ramsey 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 Bald Eagle Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bald Eagle Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bald Eagle Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,346 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bald Eagle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 36 ft |
| Average Depth | 13.3 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,049 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bald Eagle LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bald Eagle 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
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-06 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 40.73 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 24.43 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 20.05 | 0.55 lb |
| Black Crappie | 14.12 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.76 | 0.14 lb |
| BNS | 9.80 | — |
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
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2022-07-06 survey
Bald Eagle Lake is a 1,047 acre (751 littoral acres), class 24 lake located in northeastern Ramsey County. The lake is primarily managed for Walleye and Muskellunge. Zebra mussels were discovered in August, 2018 and have the potential to increase the water clarity in Bald Eagle Lake which may impact future survey…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bald Eagle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Bald EagleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Bald EagleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Bald EaglePublic 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 | -0.074 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.84 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (83 observations).
Estimated open water season: 242 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-07 (2024) | 2013-05-02 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-22 (2022) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-25
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bald Eagle Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Bald Eagle Lake (completed 1889), built primarily for recreation on the Clearwater River; other-type dam, 10 ft tall and 1,000 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,046 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 11,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 31 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Unknown, see pdf dated 1_1_2015
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00565 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bald Eagle 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 MN62-0002-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #28 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Bald Eagle Lake holds Grade D. 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 Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Bald Eagle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bald Eagle Lake?
- Bald Eagle Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 1049.09 acres.
Is Bald Eagle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Bald Eagle Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 21.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bald Eagle Lake?
- Bald Eagle Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 1,346 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bald Eagle Lake?
- Bald Eagle Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 13.3 feet. The lake covers 1049.09 acres.
What fish are in Bald Eagle Lake?
- Fish species found in Bald Eagle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, sunfish, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bald Eagle Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Bald Eagle Lake thaw?
- Bald Eagle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 242 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bald Eagle Lake?
- Bald Eagle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bald Eagle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bald Eagle 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 Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Bald Eagle Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Bald Eagle Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
983 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA983 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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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