Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 235.64 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 88 ft
- Area
- 236 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 235 days
Next lake in Morrison County
Cedar Lake is a 236-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 88 feet (39-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Morrison County, Cedar Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Cedar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Lake in Morrison 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.
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Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 60°F) and coldest in Apr (about 39°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 610 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 88 ft |
| Average Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 236 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar LakePublic
- Mary LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
27 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 45.26 | 0.81 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.28 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.17 | 0.11 lb |
| BKF | 13.99 | — |
| BKS | 6.78 | — |
| CNM | 6.44 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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
From the 2025-04-09 survey
Cedar Lake (DOW#49-0140-00: Lake Class 23) is a 236 acre lake located near Upsala, Minnesota. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the south shoreline. Cedar Lake has 3.41 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 88 feet. The lake is primarily managed for Walleye…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Lake. 4 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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cedar (1924)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CedarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CedarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.029 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (42 observations).
Estimated open water season: 235 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-19 (2012) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1997-11-20 (1997) | 1998-12-22 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-25
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN49-0140-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 8 lakes in Morrison County
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 235.64 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Cedar Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 610 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 88 feet and an average depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 235.64 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Morrison County, Minnesota.
When does Cedar Lake thaw?
- Cedar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Are there boat ramps on Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Lake, Mary Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cedar Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
12 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
MNPCA12 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate