Cedar Lake
Cedar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 790.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 57°F
- Max depth
- 108 ft
- Area
- 790 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 12
- Open water
- 245 days
Next lake in Wright County
Cedar Lake is a 790-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 108 feet (30-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Cedar Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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.
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Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 57°F) and coldest in Apr (about 43°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,125 field readings (2010–2025) 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 low (9,817 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 108 ft |
| Average Depth | 29.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 790 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Schroeder ParkPublic
- Cedar Lake (West)Public
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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 29.57 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.86 | 1.06 lb |
| BKF | 14.12 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 12.74 | 0.78 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.28 | 0.08 lb |
| JND | 9.68 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
Green Sunfish
From the 2024-07-08 survey
Cedar Lake is an 837-acre lake located two miles east of Annandale in Wright County. Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 108 feet and a small watershed dominated by agriculture, open water and forest. Two public accesses are located on the north end of the lake: a DNR ramp on the northwest corner with limited parking…
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 (2014)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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.066 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (79 observations).
Estimated open water season: 245 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1988-03-14 (1988) | 2018-05-04 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-28 (2018) | 2024-01-11 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-25
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Cedar Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Cedar Lake (completed 1963), built primarily for recreation on the Clearwater River-TR; gravity-type dam, 9 ft tall and 30 ft long.
- Surface area
- 774 ac
- Normal storage
- 18,150 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 20,328 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 14.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Trails
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00530 · Operator website
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 MN86-0227-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 51 lakes in Wright County
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 has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 790.3 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 4.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in August, from 1,125 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 108 feet and an average depth of 29.5 feet. The lake covers 790.3 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, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Cedar Lake thaw?
- Cedar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Dec 13. The open water season is approximately 245 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 low (9,817 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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Schroeder Park, Cedar Lake (West). Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
89 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
MNPCA89 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 (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