Cameron Lake
Cameron Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 130 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 90.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 224.83 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 225 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Cameron Lake →
Next lake in Polk County
Cameron Lake is a 225-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Cameron Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. 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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 130 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 90.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 76.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 130 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 90.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 76 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Cameron Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cameron Lake in Polk 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 Cameron Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cameron 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 225 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cameron LakePublic
Fishing Cameron Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 255.75 | 0.3 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.75 | 1.02 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.63 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.50 | 1.9 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.25 | 0.2 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1989-07-30 survey
ALL, OR NEARLY ALL GAMEFISH WERE LOST TO WINTER- KILL IN EARLY SPRING OF 1989. AS IS TYPICAL, BLACK BULLHEADS APPEAR TO BE THE PRINCIPLE SURVIVORS.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cameron Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CameronFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cameron (0103)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CameronFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CameronPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.066 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.71 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.72 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Cameron 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 MN60-0189-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 19 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Cameron Lake holds Grade F. 3 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 Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Cameron Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 130 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 90.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 224.83 acres.
Is Cameron Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Cameron Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 90.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 224.83 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cameron Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cameron Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Where this data comes from
87 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
MNPCA87 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