Cedar Island Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota986 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 75 ft max depth
- Public access
Cedar Island Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44 µg/L. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 985.77 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.25 walleye per gill net at Cedar Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Cedar Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Cedar Island Lake is a 986-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 75 feet (7-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 22 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Cedar Island Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cedar Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing22 species recorded
- Deep water75 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. Cedar Island Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cedar Island 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 63.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 44µg/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. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Cedar Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cedar Island Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in Oct (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 231 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.25 walleye per gill net at Cedar Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
25 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-13 (Targeted Survey).
25 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-13 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 259.24 | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | 91.17 | 1 in 2003-07-28 | |
| Walleye | 40.58 | 10–24 in 2025-10-13 | 1.4 lb |
| Black Crappie | 37.24 | 4–10 in 2024-08-12 | 0.53 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.33 | 3–16 in 2024-08-12 | 1.23 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.
Bluntnose Minnow
Walleye
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-10-13 survey
Cedar Island Lake is located near Richmond in south-central Stearns County. A public access is located on the east side of the lake off County Road 71; however, navigable channels connect Cedar Island with Horseshoe Lake and the other downstream lakes within the Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL). Cedar Island Lake has…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Island Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Cedar IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Cedar IslandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Cedar IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
75 ft
Average depth
7 ft
Surface area
986 acres
Shoreline
27.1 mi
Littoral zone
77%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Island 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Cedar Island Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar Island Lake
- → Cedar Island Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Cedar Island Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Cedar Island Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Cedar Island Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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 4 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+26 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+20.85 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar Island 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: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0133-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Island Lake
Where is Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44 µg/L. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 985.77 acres.
Is Cedar Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cedar Island Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 231 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake has a maximum depth of 75 feet and an average depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 985.77 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Island Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, river redhorse, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Island Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Island Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.25 walleye per gill net at Cedar Island Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cedar Island Lake?
- Cedar Island 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 Cedar Island Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Cedar Island Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
63 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
MNPCA63 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory