Camp Lake
Camp Lake in Swift County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 230.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 230 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
Next lake in Swift County
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 230-acre lake in Swift County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Camp Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Camp Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Camp Lake in Swift 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
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Water Temperature
Camp Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Oct (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Camp Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 230 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Camp LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Camp Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 40.77 | 2.49 lb |
| Bluegill | 37.87 | 0.09 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 25.24 | 0.1 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.81 | 0.06 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.86 | 2.57 lb |
| Walleye | 4.50 | 2.55 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Green Sunfish
From the 2024-05-22 survey
A standard survey was conducted on Camp Lake during late May and early June of 2024. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a wider range of fish species during the summer months using…
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).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CampFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CampFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CampPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.224 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1983-04-03 (1983) | 2022-04-19 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2021-12-07 (2021) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-19
EPA Impairment Status
Camp 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 MN76-0072-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Camp Lake
Camp Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Swift County
Frequently asked questions about Camp Lake
What is the water quality grade for Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake in Swift County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 230.41 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 77°F at the surface in August, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 230.41 acres.
What fish are in Camp Lake?
- Fish species found in Camp Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Camp Lake is located in Swift County, Minnesota.
When does Camp Lake thaw?
- Camp Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17.
Are there boat ramps on Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Camp Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Camp Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Camp Lake
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Where this data comes from
35 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
MNPCA35 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
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