Cedar Lake
Rice County, Minnesota902 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Cedar Lake in Rice County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 902.44 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Cedar Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Cedar Lake is a 902-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Rice County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Rice County, Cedar Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 4
- Deep water42 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 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 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.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 91 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 72.6 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 91µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 72.6µg/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. | 70 | 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 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (52°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 271 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cedar Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,342,765 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 1.00 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 35.61 | 3–7 in 2025-07-28 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 25.67 | 4–13 in 2025-07-28 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.59 | 3–20 in 2025-07-28 | 1.38 lb |
| White Crappie | 10.22 | 4–10 in 2025-07-28 | 0.39 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.70 | 6–7 in 2025-07-28 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 4.80 | 7–16 in 2025-07-28 | 1.25 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
Largemouth Bass
White Crappie
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Cedar Lake is a 902-acre lake located in Rice County west of Faribault. A DNR-maintained public access is located on the north end of the lake. The lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. Cedar Lake is considered eutrophic with generally poor water clarity and frequent algae blooms caused by elevated nutrient levels.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Lake. 3 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
- —Public Water Access Sites — CedarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
902 acres
Shoreline
11.3 mi
Littoral zone
75%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,056 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 Rice 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 →
Follow Cedar Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
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
Worsening+21.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-37.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 4
Earliest Mar 1, 2024 · Latest Apr 30, 1983
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 4, 1991 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 24
2026
107 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, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN66-0052-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Cedar Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Morristown WwtpMorristown · 4.7 mi away · NPDES MN0025895
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Rice County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Rice 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 Rice County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 91 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 902.44 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, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 271 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 902.44 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white bass, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Rice County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 1.00 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 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Does Cedar Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cedar Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,342,765 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Rice County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Cedar Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Cedar Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
404 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA404 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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