Cedar Lake
Morrison County, Minnesota236 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 88 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Cedar Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 5.83 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake. DNR survey details →
Cedar Lake is a 236-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 88 feet (39-foot average). 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water88 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
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.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down. Phosphorus 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.7 µg/L. TSI 37.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 37 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Cedar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (39°F) to its warmest (60°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 5.83 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake.
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
27 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-09 (Targeted Survey).
27 surveys on file · most recent 2025-04-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 45.26 | 8–19 in 2025-04-09 | 0.81 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.28 | ||
| Bluegill | 18.17 | 5–8 in 2025-04-09 | 0.11 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
88 ft
Average depth
39 ft
Surface area
236 acres
Shoreline
3.4 mi
Littoral zone
28%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,201 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar 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 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Cedar Lake
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Follow Cedar Lake’s readings
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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
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.2 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.17 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 19, 2012 · Latest May 10, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 6
Earliest Nov 20, 1997 · Latest Dec 22, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 25
2022
42 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 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN49-0140-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Morrison 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 Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cedar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 5.83 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake. 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 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cedar Lake?
- Cedar 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 Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate