Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 45.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 85.76 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 86 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Mar 29
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Beaver Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Beaver Lake is a 86-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 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 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Beaver Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 45.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 45.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Beaver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beaver 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 Beaver Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Beaver 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
Beaver Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Mar (about 40°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 450 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beaver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 86 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 97% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver 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
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 26.23 | 0.13 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 22.05 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 19.01 | 0.11 lb |
| GOS | 16.22 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 14.79 | 0.42 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.76 | 0.21 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.
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
Bluegill
GOS
From the 2025-05-29 survey
Beaver Lake is a 65-acre (82.83 littoral acres), class 40 lake that borders the cities of St. Paul and Maplewood. The lake is currently managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program. Beaver Lake County Park, operated by Ramsey County, is located along the west shoreline and provides grills, a playground, a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beaver Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeaverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeaverFish 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.106 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +6.79 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.83 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (14 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-01 (2024) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2024-11-30 (2024) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-29
EPA Impairment Status
Beaver 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 MN62-0016-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #21 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Beaver Lake holds Grade D. 2 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 Beaver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 45.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 85.76 acres.
Is Beaver 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. Beaver Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 9.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 450 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 85.76 acres.
What fish are in Beaver Lake?
- Fish species found in Beaver Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Beaver Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Beaver Lake thaw?
- Beaver Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 29.
Explore Beaver Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
538 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA538 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
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate