Clearwater Lake
Clearwater Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 3186.88 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.8 ft
- Max depth
- 73 ft
- Area
- 3,187 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 11
- Open water
- 238 days
Next lake in Wright County
Clearwater Lake is a 3,187-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 73 feet (19-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 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Clearwater Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-11. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Clearwater Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clearwater 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 Clearwater Lake
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clearwater Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (102,802 cells/mL) on April 4, 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 | 73 ft |
| Average Depth | 19.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 3,187 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 22.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| 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 Clearwater 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
22 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 82.75 | — |
| Bluegill | 22.51 | 0.16 lb |
| Walleye | 13.28 | 1.76 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.85 | 1.07 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.04 | 0.68 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 7.78 | — |
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
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-10-07 survey
The Walleye population in Clearwater Lake has been sustained through fry stocking since 1998, with annual fry stocking conducted from 2014 through 2019. While fry stocking has been regularly implemented, fall electrofishing results have only exceeded the target catch rate of 25 young-of-year (YOY) Walleye per hour…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clearwater Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearwaterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clearwater (2009)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearwaterFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearwaterPublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.071 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.79 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.51 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (18 observations).
Estimated open water season: 238 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-19 (2017) | 2014-04-26 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-28 (2007) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-03-19
EPA Impairment Status
Clearwater 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 MN86-0252-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.72 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 3186.88 acres.
Is Clearwater Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Clearwater Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet and an average depth of 19.2 feet. The lake covers 3186.88 acres.
What fish are in Clearwater Lake?
- Fish species found in Clearwater Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clearwater Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Clearwater Lake thaw?
- Clearwater Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Dec 5. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Does Clearwater Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clearwater Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (102,802 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Clearwater Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
144 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
MNPCA144 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 (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
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