Clear Lake
Clear Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 648.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 649 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 2
- Open water
- 243 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Clear Lake →
Next lake in Waseca County
Clear Lake is a 649-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Waseca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Waseca County, Clear Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 59.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 151 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 59.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Clear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clear Lake in Waseca 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Clear Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Clear Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Clear Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 93 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clear Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (319,154 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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 649 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 69% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clear Lake (South)Public
- Clear Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clear 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
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 61.24 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 49.45 | 0.95 lb |
| Bluegill | 41.77 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.97 | 1.63 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.91 | 0.18 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.59 | 1.27 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.
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Clear Lake is a 652-acre lake located within the town of Waseca in Waseca County. Two DNR-maintained public accesses are available. One is located off Clear Lake Drive on the north side and the other just off MN Highway 14 on the southeast side of the lake. The maximum depth is 34 feet with approximately 69% of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clear Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.061 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (140 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-01 (2024) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-20 (2022) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-22
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Clear Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Clear Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Crane Creek-TR; concrete-type dam, 8 ft tall and 18 ft long.
- Surface area
- 611 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 38 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Waseca
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01455 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Clear 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 MN81-0014-01 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Waseca County
Nearby Lakes in Waseca County
Frequently asked questions about Clear Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 151 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 648.77 acres.
Is Clear Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Clear Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 59.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 93 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 648.77 acres.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
- Fish species found in Clear Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clear Lake is located in Waseca County, Minnesota.
When does Clear Lake thaw?
- Clear Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Does Clear Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clear Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (319,154 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake (South), Clear Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clear Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
109 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA109 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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