Bald Lake
Dakota County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bald Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
Bald Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L.
Bald Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Dakota County, Bald Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bald Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bald Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bald Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bald Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.5 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 39µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bald Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bald Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bald Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bald Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — BaldFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bald Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bald Lake in Dakota 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Bald Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Bald Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bald Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.69 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.25 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Bald Lake
Where is Bald Lake?
- Bald Lake is a lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bald Lake?
- Bald Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L.
Is Bald Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bald Lake?
- Bald Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Bald Lake?
- Fish species found in Bald Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, largemouth bass. Bald Lake is located in Dakota County, Minnesota.
Can I fish at Bald Lake?
- Public access to Bald Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bald Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Dakota County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Bald Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
137 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
MNPCA137 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.