Cleary Lake
Cleary Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 186.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 144.75 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 145 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Cleary Lake →
Next lake in Scott County
Cleary Lake is a 145-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet (5-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Cleary Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 186.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 61.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 72.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 186.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 61.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Cleary Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cleary Lake in Scott 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 Cleary Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Cleary Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Cleary Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Feb (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 454 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cleary Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Average Depth | 5 ft |
| Surface Area | 145 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 103% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cleary LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cleary Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-08-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 63.34 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 55.50 | 0.11 lb |
| GOS | 33.78 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 33.73 | 0.61 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 27.10 | — |
| Walleye | 8.71 | 1.19 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
Green Sunfish
GOS
Black Bullhead
From the 2017-08-08 survey
Cleary Lake is a shallow, productive 149-acre lake located near Prior Lake, Scott County. The lake is located entirely within Cleary Lake Regional Park, operated by the Three Rivers Park District. There is a boat launch; however only electric motors are allowed. The lake is managed for Bluegill and for Largemouth…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cleary Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearyPublic 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 | -0.163 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +47.59 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +12.49 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-14 (2016) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2018-04-29
EPA Impairment Status
Cleary 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 MN70-0022-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 21 lakes in Scott County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Cleary Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Cleary Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cleary Lake?
- Cleary Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 186.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 61.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 144.75 acres.
Is Cleary 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. Cleary Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 61.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Cleary Lake?
- Cleary Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 454 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cleary Lake?
- Cleary Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet and an average depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 144.75 acres.
What fish are in Cleary Lake?
- Fish species found in Cleary Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed. Cleary Lake is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
When does Cleary Lake thaw?
- Cleary Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4.
Are there boat ramps on Cleary Lake?
- Cleary Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cleary Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cleary Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
192 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA192 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate