Cameron Lake
Polk County, Minnesota225 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cameron Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
Cameron Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 1989 caught 391.50 black bullhead per gill net at Cameron Lake. DNR survey details →
Cameron Lake is a 225-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Cameron Lake covers about 220 acres in Polk County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Cameron Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Cameron Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Cameron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cameron 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 Cameron Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cameron 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 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 130 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 90.8 µg/L. TSI 76.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 130µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 90.8µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 76 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Cameron Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 1989 caught 391.50 black bullhead per gill net at Cameron Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cameron Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-30 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 1989-07-30 (Standard Survey)
37 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | 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, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
225 acres
Shoreline
2.8 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,175 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cameron LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Cameron Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cameron 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 Cameron Lake’s readings
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Fishing Cameron Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.71 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.72 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN60-0189-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Cameron Lake
Where is Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake is a lake in Polk County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cameron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 224.83 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cameron Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 1989 caught 391.50 black bullhead per gill net at Cameron Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cameron Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Cameron Lake?
- Cameron Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Cameron Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Polk County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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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)
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
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