Bavaria Lake
Bavaria Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 166.46 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 66 ft
- Area
- 166 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bavaria Lake →
Next lake in Carver County
Bavaria Lake is a 166-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 66 feet. 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 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Bavaria Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-15. 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.
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 5.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bavaria Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bavaria 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bavaria Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bavaria Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bavaria Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 58°F) and coldest in Feb (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,753 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bavaria Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 66 ft |
| Surface Area | 166 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake BavariaPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bavaria 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 55.68 | — |
| Bluegill | 47.14 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.27 | 1.25 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 10.64 | — |
| IOD | 8.35 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 6.58 | 0.65 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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-09-03 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Bavaria Lake on September 3rd, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 26 survey sites evenly spaced 150 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bavaria Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BavariaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BavariaPublic 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 | → Stable | -0.018 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.59 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Bavaria 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 MN10-0019-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Bavaria Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bavaria Lake?
- Bavaria Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 166.46 acres.
Is Bavaria 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. Bavaria 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 Bavaria Lake?
- Bavaria Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 1,753 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bavaria Lake?
- Bavaria Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 166.46 acres.
What fish are in Bavaria Lake?
- Fish species found in Bavaria Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bavaria Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Bavaria Lake?
- Bavaria Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Bavaria. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bavaria Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
218 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
MNPCA218 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 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