Bone Lake
Bone Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 221.45 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 221 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bone Lake →
Next lake in Washington County
Bone Lake is a 221-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Bone Lake ranks #56 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 18.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 29 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Bone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bone Lake in Washington 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 Bone Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bone 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
Bone Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in Apr (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 185 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bone Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 221 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bone LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bone 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 38.92 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.09 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.61 | 0.25 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.38 | 1.73 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.54 | 0.21 lb |
| IOD | 12.24 | — |
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-06-10 survey
Bone Lake is a eutrophic, class 24 lake located in Washington County. The lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and is 221 acres in surface area, with 124 acres classified as littoral (56%). The lake is listed as impaired for excess nutrients and unacceptable levels of biological indicators. The primary management…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bone Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BoneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BoneFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BonePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.095 m/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (124 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-15 (2000) | 1968-04-29 (1968) |
Most recent ice-out: 2014-04-25
EPA Impairment Status
Bone Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN82-0054-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #56 of 75 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Bone Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Bone Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 221.45 acres.
Is Bone 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. Bone Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 18.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 185 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 221.45 acres.
What fish are in Bone Lake?
- Fish species found in Bone Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bone Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
When does Bone Lake thaw?
- Bone Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Are there boat ramps on Bone Lake?
- Bone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bone Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bone 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 Washington County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Bone Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
82 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA82 samples · 2022–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate