Blue Lake
Scott County, Minnesota70 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Blue Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 50 ft max depth
- Limited data
Blue Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 164.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 70.09 acres.
Blue Lake is a 70-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet (28-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and common carp. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Blue Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Blue Lake covers about 70 acres in Scott County. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Blue Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Blue Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Blue 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 Blue Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Blue Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 164.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.5 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 165µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 14.5µg/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. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Blue Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Blue Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Blue Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
50 ft
Average depth
28.2 ft
Surface area
70 acres
Shoreline
1.5 mi
Littoral zone
17%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
682 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Blue Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blue Lake in Scott 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 Blue 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 Blue 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 Blue 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.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2023–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Blue Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Met Council - Blue Lake WwtpShakopee · 0.4 mi away · NPDES MN0029882MajorRecent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Blue Lake
Where is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake is a lake in Scott County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 164.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 70.09 acres.
Is Blue 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 Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet and an average depth of 28.2 feet. The lake covers 70.09 acres.
What fish are in Blue Lake?
- Fish species found in Blue Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, white sucker, yellow perch. Blue Lake is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
Can I fish at Blue Lake?
- Public access to Blue 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 Blue Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Scott 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 Blue Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
80 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA80 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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.
Other records on this page
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder