Circle Lake
Rice County, Minnesota838 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Circle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 14 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Circle Lake in Rice County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 484.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 837.58 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 1.25 northern pike per gill net at Circle Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Circle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Circle Lake is a 838-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Rice County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Overall water quality is declining 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, Circle Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Circle Lake covers about 840 acres in Rice County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is March 29, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Circle Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Circle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 29
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Circle 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 Circle Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Circle 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 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 484.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 59.7 µg/L. TSI 79.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 485µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 59.7µg/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. | 79 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Circle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Circle Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 69 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Circle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 1.25 northern pike per gill net at Circle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Circle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-12 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-12 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 124.08 | 3–13 in 2023-06-12 | 0.4 lb |
| Black Crappie | 27.02 | 4–8 in 2023-06-12 | 0.29 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 23.71 | 4–7 in 2023-06-12 | 0.2 lb |
| Common Carp | 7.96 | 2–24 in 2023-06-12 | 3.86 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.70 | 2–6 in 2023-06-12 | 0.24 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.18 | 14–15 in 2023-06-12 | 0.97 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Common Carp
From the 2023-06-12 survey
Circle Lake is an 838-acre lake located in Rice County northeast of Shieldsville. The lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. There are three islands on Circle Lake, one of which is designated as an Aquatic Management Area by the MN DNR. A DNR-maintained public access is located on the northwest end of the lake. A public…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Circle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CircleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CircleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CirclePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
14 ft
Surface area
838 acres
Shoreline
9.5 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
29 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,004 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Circle 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 Circle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Circle 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 Circle Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Circle 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Circle 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 29
Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest Apr 28, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 19, 2022 · Latest Dec 18, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 16
2025
21 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Rice County
Frequently asked questions about Circle Lake
Where is Circle Lake?
- Circle 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 Circle Lake?
- Circle Lake in Rice County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 484.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 837.58 acres.
Is Circle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Circle Lake?
- Circle Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in September, from 69 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Circle Lake?
- Circle Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 837.58 acres.
What fish are in Circle Lake?
- Fish species found in Circle Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth buffalo, walleye, white bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Circle Lake is located in Rice County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Circle Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 1.25 northern pike per gill net at Circle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Circle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Circle Lake thaw?
- Circle Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 29. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 247 days.
Are there boat ramps on Circle Lake?
- Circle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Circle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Circle Lake?
- Circle 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 Circle Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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
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State Parks Near Circle Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Circle Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
117 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA117 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
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