Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 206.37 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 206 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Wright County
Why Cedar Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Cedar Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Cedar Lake is a 206-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet (8-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Cedar Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.6 ft. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | 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 Wright 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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Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Oct (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Average Depth | 7.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 206 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-06-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 81.80 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 9.23 | 0.45 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 9.17 | 0.31 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 7.90 | 0.08 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.57 | 0.91 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 7.33 | 0.48 lb |
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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2020-06-29 survey
Cedar Lake is a small, mostly shallow basin located three miles southwest of Monticello in northern Wright County. The only access on this lake is user-developed and located off of Aetna Avenue NE. Most development has occurred on the east side of the lake. Due to its shallowness and good water clarity, the aquatic…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cedar (0165)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.282 m/yr | 6 |
Graded lakes near Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 206.37 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Cedar Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet and an average depth of 7.8 feet. The lake covers 206.37 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead. Cedar Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA71 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder