Cate'S Lake
Cate'S Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- ~23 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Mar 30
- Open water
- 243 days
Next lake in Scott County
Cate'S Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 23 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Cate'S Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Cate'S Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Cate'S Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cate'S Lake in Scott 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 Cate'S 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
Cate'S Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Oct (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 67 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cate'S Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~23 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Cate'S Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Cate'S 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: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +2.82 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (17 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-17 (2012) | 2009-04-01 (2009) |
| Ice-In | 2010-11-23 (2010) | 2009-12-05 (2009) |
Most recent ice-out: 2012-03-17
EPA Impairment Status
Cate'S Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN70-0026-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.66 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 21 lakes in Scott County
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Cate'S Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cate'S Lake?
- Cate'S Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L.
Is Cate'S Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Cate'S Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Cate'S Lake?
- Cate'S Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 67 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cate'S Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Cate'S Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 23 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Cate'S Lake thaw?
- Cate'S Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 30. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Explore Cate'S Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Scott County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Cate'S Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA56 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate