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LakeQuality

Camp Lake

NR
Not yet rated
10.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 82 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Camp Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 82.27 acres.

Clarity
10.5 ft
Typical in August
79°F
Max depth
34 ft
Area
82 acres
Trend
Stable
Public access
Yes
Ice-out
Apr 9
Open water
236 days

Next lake in Sherburne County

FElk Lake2 ft clear · Sherburne CountyView →
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Why Camp Lake has no grade

We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Camp Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).

Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.

Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.

Camp Lake is a 82-acre lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (9-foot average). The lake supports 6 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near St. Cloud

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Water quality measurements for Camp Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)10.5 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)43Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Camp Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Camp Lake in Sherburne 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 Camp 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

Camp Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 79°F) and coldest in Jun (about 73°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
73°
Jul
78°
Aug
79°
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (20102025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Camp Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth34 ft
Average Depth9.1 ft
Surface Area82 acres
Shoreline Length2 mi
Littoral Zone68%
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Elevation
961 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Camp Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-27 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Black Bullhead112.020.3 lb
Bluegill45.810.12 lb
Largemouth Bass26.801.34 lb
Northern Pike3.753.49 lb
Pumpkinseed3.190.14 lb
Hybrid Sunfish1.280.23 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.

Black Bullhead

694 fish · 810 in · 2009-06-29
57228608910

Bluegill

688 fish · 16 in · 2022-06-27
3581790123456

Largemouth Bass

30 fish · 820 in · 2022-06-27
530trophy 20891011121314151617181920

Northern Pike

45 fish · 1732 in · 2022-06-27
11601820222426283032

From the 2022-06-27 survey

Camp Lake is a small 79-acre lake located two miles southeast of the city of Clear Lake in Sherburne County. The lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet with good water quality and an average summer water clarity of nine feet. The lake took a winterkill in 1978-79 and eliminated all fish but Black Bullhead and Fathead…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Camp Lake. 3 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable-0.037 m/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (18 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 9
Typical Ice-In
Dec 1

Estimated open water season: 236 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2016-03-16 (2016)2018-05-01 (2018)
Ice-In2018-11-19 (2018)2015-12-21 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-20

Graded lakes near Camp Lake

Camp Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County

Frequently asked questions about Camp Lake

What is the water quality grade for Camp Lake?

Camp Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 82.27 acres.

Is Camp Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Camp Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Camp Lake?

Camp Lake typically sits around 79°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Camp Lake?

Camp Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 9.1 feet. The lake covers 82.27 acres.

What fish are in Camp Lake?

Fish species found in Camp Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed. Camp Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.

When does Camp Lake thaw?

Camp Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 236 days.

Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Where this data comes from

48 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 WaterMNPCA48 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate