Carnelian Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota180 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Carnelian Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Carnelian Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 179.91 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 0.66 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Carnelian Lake. DNR survey details →
Carnelian Lake is a 180-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet (14-foot average). The lake supports 13 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 2025-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Carnelian Lake covers about 180 acres in Stearns County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Carnelian Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Carnelian Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Carnelian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Carnelian Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Carnelian Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Carnelian Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 143 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Carnelian Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 0.66 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Carnelian Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Carnelian 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-06 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-05-06 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 91.39 | 3–9 in 2024-05-06 | 0.19 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.89 | 2 in 2004-08-09 | |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.46 | 5–18 in 2016-08-08 | 0.76 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 10.86 | 3–4 in 2016-08-08 | 0.1 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.
Bluegill
Bluntnose Minnow
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
From the 2024-05-06 survey
A targeted Bluegill and Black Crappie assessment was conducted on Carnelian Lake from May 6-10, 2024. This assessment was conducted to update data last collected in a 2016 survey and to get an idea of the size structure of the spawning Bluegills and Black Crappie. Carnelian Lake has had special regulations restricting…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Carnelian Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CarnelianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CarnelianFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CarnelianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Average depth
13.8 ft
Surface area
180 acres
Shoreline
3 mi
Littoral zone
35%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,119 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Carnelian Lake in Stearns 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 Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Carnelian 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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Carnelian Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0038-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Carnelian Lake
Where is Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 179.91 acres.
Is Carnelian Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Carnelian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in October, from 143 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 13.8 feet. The lake covers 179.91 acres.
What fish are in Carnelian Lake?
- Fish species found in Carnelian Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Carnelian Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Carnelian Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 27, 2018 caught 0.66 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Carnelian Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Carnelian Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Carnelian Lake?
- Carnelian 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 Carnelian Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Carnelian Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
128 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA128 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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