Cedar Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota164 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 51 ft max depth
Cedar Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 84.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 163.79 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.00 northern pike per gill net at Cedar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. DNR survey details →
Cedar Lake is a 164-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Cedar Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
- Deep water51 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Cedar Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 6 samples across 6 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Cedar 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 Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cedar 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 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 84.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.4 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 84.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Cedar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 56°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 57°F) and coldest in Jan (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (37°F) to its warmest (57°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,871 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.00 northern pike per gill net at Cedar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 51.41 | 2–7 in 2024-07-08 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.61 | 4–9 in 2024-07-08 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.41 | 6–11 in 2024-07-08 | 0.34 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.81 | 13–29 in 2024-07-08 | 3.53 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.11 | 6 in 2024-07-08 | 0.13 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.05 | 4–6 in 2024-07-08 | 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
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
From the 2024-07-08 survey
Cedar is a 164-acre lake located in Minneapolis. It is the most upstream of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes; downstream and connected are Lake of the Isles and Bde Maka Ska. A city park, maintained by the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, surrounds the majority of the lake. This public land provides ample…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CedarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CedarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
51 ft
Surface area
164 acres
Shoreline
3 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cedar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Lake in Hennepin 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 Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cedar 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 Cedar 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 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.18 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 6, 2024 · Latest Apr 28, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Mar 6
2024
15 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar 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, Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0039-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Hennepin 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 Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 84.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 163.79 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Cedar Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 6 samples across 6 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Cedar Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in October, from 1,871 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 163.79 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 6.00 northern pike per gill net at Cedar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Cedar Lake thaw?
- Cedar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9.
Can I fish at Cedar Lake?
- Public access to Cedar Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1,117 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
MNPCA1,117 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity, Probe Method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate