Camp Lake
Wright County, Minnesota123 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Camp Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 52 ft max depth
- Public access
Camp Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 122.75 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 3.75 walleye per gill net at Camp Lake. DNR survey details →
Camp Lake is a 123-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet (20-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Camp Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Camp Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Deep water52 ft surveyed max depth
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. Camp Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Camp 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 Camp Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Camp Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 70µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20µg/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. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Camp Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Camp Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 62°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (62°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 242 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Camp Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 3.75 walleye per gill net at Camp Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Camp Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-27 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2018-08-27 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 35.09 | 4–19 in 2018-08-27 | 0.93 lb |
| Bluegill | 29.71 | 2–9 in 2018-08-27 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.12 | 6–8 in 2018-08-27 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 8.76 | 7–16 in 2018-08-27 | 2.4 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.95 | 5–14 in 2018-08-27 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.17 | 18–40 in 2018-08-27 | 3.97 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.
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
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2018-08-27 survey
Camp Lake is a 108 acre lake located southwest of Maple Lake in Wright County. There is a public access located on the northwest side of the lake. The lake has poor water quality and water clarity in August 2018 was three feet. Adequate dissolved oxygen was found to a depth of 12 feet during the week of the 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).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CampFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Camp (2023)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CampPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
52 ft
Average depth
20 ft
Surface area
123 acres
Shoreline
1.8 mi
Littoral zone
33%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,037 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Camp Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Camp Lake in Wright 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 Camp Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Camp 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Camp 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-8.85 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+7.26 µg/L/yr5 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0221-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Camp Lake
Where is Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 70 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 122.75 acres.
Is Camp Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Camp Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October, from 242 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet and an average depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 122.75 acres.
What fish are in Camp Lake?
- Fish species found in Camp Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Camp Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Camp Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 3.75 walleye per gill net at Camp Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Camp Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Camp Lake?
- Public access to Camp Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Camp Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
103 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA103 samples · 2020–2024
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