Collinwood Lake
Collinwood Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 638.93 acres.
- Clarity
- 4 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 639 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
- Open water
- 232 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Collinwood Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Collinwood Lake is a 639-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (12-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Collinwood Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. 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)
Murky, only visible to about 4 ft. Phosphorus level: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 38.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 135 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 38.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Collinwood Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Collinwood 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Collinwood Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Collinwood Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Collinwood Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Collinwood Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 639 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 55% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Collinwood Lake (North)Public
- Collinwood Lake (South)Public
- Collinwood Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Collinwood Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
27 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-16 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 39.21 | 0.53 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 20.92 | 0.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 16.31 | 0.13 lb |
| Walleye | 14.59 | 1.44 lb |
| Black Crappie | 14.00 | 0.23 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.70 | 1.14 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 Bullhead
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Walleye
From the 2025-09-16 survey
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Collinwood Lake on September 16th, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 0 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 0.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1993 to 2025) median (16.5 fish/hr.).…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Collinwood Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CollinwoodFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Collinwood (1943)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CollinwoodFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CollinwoodPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.21 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +11.7 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -20.96 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (56 observations).
Estimated open water season: 232 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-04 (2024) | 1996-04-23 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-04 (1991) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-30
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Collinwood Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Collinwood Lake (completed 1955), built primarily for recreation on the Collinwood Creek; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 32 ft long.
- Surface area
- 644 ac
- Normal storage
- 6,864 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 8,580 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 50.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Fisheries
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00059 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Collinwood Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0293-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #40 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Collinwood Lake holds Grade F. 3 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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Collinwood Lake
What is the water quality grade for Collinwood Lake?
- Collinwood Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 38.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 638.93 acres.
Is Collinwood 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. Collinwood Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 38.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Collinwood Lake?
- Collinwood Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Collinwood Lake?
- Collinwood Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 638.93 acres.
What fish are in Collinwood Lake?
- Fish species found in Collinwood Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Collinwood Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Collinwood Lake thaw?
- Collinwood Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 232 days.
Are there boat ramps on Collinwood Lake?
- Collinwood Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Collinwood Lake (North), Collinwood Lake (South), Collinwood Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Collinwood Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
114 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
MNPCA114 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate