Charlotte Lake
Charlotte Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 252.52 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 253 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
- Open water
- 248 days
Next lake in Wright County
Charlotte Lake is a 253-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet (22-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 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Charlotte Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Charlotte Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Charlotte 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 Charlotte Lake
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Water Temperature
Charlotte Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Charlotte Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Charlotte Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (29,648 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
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 | 46 ft |
| Average Depth | 22.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 253 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Charlotte 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BCS | 43.05 | — |
| Bluegill | 32.57 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.40 | — |
| SFS | 14.89 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.80 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 9.25 | 0.4 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
From the 2025-06-30 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Charlotte Lake was conducted on June 30 - July 3, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Charlotte Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CharlotteFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Charlotte (1941)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Charlotte (2002)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CharlottePublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.533 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +7.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +4.52 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 248 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2018-05-03 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2008-11-25 (2008) | 2024-01-11 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-12
EPA Impairment Status
Charlotte Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0011-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Charlotte Lake
What is the water quality grade for Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 252.52 acres.
Is Charlotte Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Charlotte Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet and an average depth of 22.2 feet. The lake covers 252.52 acres.
What fish are in Charlotte Lake?
- Fish species found in Charlotte Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Charlotte Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Charlotte Lake thaw?
- Charlotte Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Dec 11. The open water season is approximately 248 days.
Does Charlotte Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Charlotte Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (29,648 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Charlotte Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Charlotte Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
84 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
MNPCA84 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate