Como Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

Is Como Lake safe to swim in?

Based on E. coli testing, Como Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 8.1% of 62 samples across 2 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Como Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.

What is the water temperature of Como Lake?

Como Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 1,023 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Como Lake?

Como Lake has a maximum depth of 15.5 feet. The lake covers 71.3 acres.

When does Como Lake thaw?

Como Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 28. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 253 days.

Can I fish at Como Lake?

Public access to Como Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.

Como Lake

Ramsey County, Minnesota71 acresView map Directions

Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Como Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

2.5 ft

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

96 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Minnesota PCA

Chlorophyll-a

42.5 µg/L

More algae than most

Measured by Minnesota PCA

Water temp

~56°F

Typical for Oct · EPA WQP

Max depth

15.5 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

71 acres

Surface area

Eutrophic
Impaired · Mercury
16 ft max depth

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Como Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.5 ft. Surface area: 71.3 acres.

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 98.12 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Como Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches. DNR survey details →

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Como Lake is a 71-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Como Lake ranks #43 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-11-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Como Lake covers about 71 acres in Ramsey County. The median ice-out date is March 28, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Como Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.

What Como Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Fishing11 species recorded
Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 28

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Recreation use not supported

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.

Bacteria testing record

from E. coli testing · 62 samples, 2 seasons

Based on E. coli testing, Como Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 8.1% of 62 samples across 2 seasons.

This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.

Whether Como 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.

Compare swimming lakes near St. Paul →

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Water quality measurements for Como Lake

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Como 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 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 96 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42.5 µg/L. TSI 67.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	2.5ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	96µg/L	Poor GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	42.5µg/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.	67	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Como Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Como Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Mar (about 42°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

42°

Mar

45°

Apr

58°

May

69°

Jun

75°

Jul

75°

Aug

68°

Sep

56°

Oct

44°

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (42°F) to its warmest (75°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,023 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Como Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 98.12 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Como Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Como 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

16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-13 (Targeted Survey).

16 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-13 (Targeted Survey)

Species	Catch rate (CPUE)	Size	Avg weight
Bluegill	67.59	3–7 in 2021-08-01	0.14 lb
Black Crappie	45.04	4–8 in 2021-08-01	0.18 lb
Black Bullhead	30.09	8–11 in 2021-08-01	0.43 lb
Golden Shiner	20.38	5–6 in 2016-08-01	0.1 lb
Largemouth Bass	11.00	3–18 in 2024-06-13	0.62 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.

Bluegill

104 fish · 3–7 in · 2021-08-01

Black Crappie

22 fish · 4–8 in · 2021-08-01

Black Bullhead

19 fish · 8–11 in · 2021-08-01

Golden Shiner

4 fish · 5–6 in · 2016-08-01

From the 2024-06-13 survey

Como Lake is a shallow, 70 acre lake located in a highly developed urban watershed in the City of Saint Paul. Como Lake receives direct runoff from 22 storm sewers and water quality is generally very poor. The entire lake is encompassed by Como Park, a regional park managed by Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. A…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Como Lake. 2 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

—
Fisheries Lake Survey — Como
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
—
Fish Stocking History — Como
Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder

Lake Details

Max depth

15.5 ft

Surface area

71 acres

Shoreline

1.7 mi

Littoral zone

96%

Share shallower than 15 ft

Public access

Listed by Minnesota PCA

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

3 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

869 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Como Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Como Lake in Ramsey 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 Como Lake are listed below.

Top-rated places to stay near Como 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 →

Follow Como Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

black bullhead black crappie bluegill channel catfish green sunfish hybrid sunfish largemouth bass northern pike pumpkinseed walleye yellow perch

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Como Lake

Water Quality Trend: Worsening

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Improving
6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+5.67 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening
+1.47 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Ice season

Mar 28

Open water - 253 days

Typical ice-out

Mar 28

Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest Apr 28, 2013

Typical ice-in

Dec 6

Earliest Dec 3, 2024 · Latest Dec 16, 2021

Most recent ice-out

Mar 3

2024

11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records

EPA Impairment Status

Como Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

MercuryNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)Salinity / chlorides

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0055-00 · Official waterbody report

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Como Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.

Westrock Mn Corp
Saint Paul · 3 mi away · NPDES MN0048984
Recent violation

Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.

Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County

Loeb Lake11.2 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Mccarron Lake11.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Bennett Lake4.9 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Sandy Lake—View →Josephine Lake8.5 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →Owasso Lake7.4 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about Como Lake

Where is Como Lake?: Como Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Como Lake?: Como Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 96 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.5 ft. Surface area: 71.3 acres.
Is Como Lake safe to swim in?: Based on E. coli testing, Como Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 8.1% of 62 samples across 2 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Como Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Como Lake?: Como Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 1,023 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Como Lake?: Como Lake has a maximum depth of 15.5 feet. The lake covers 71.3 acres.
What fish are in Como Lake?: Fish species found in Como Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Como Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Como Lake?: Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 98.12 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Como Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–18 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Como 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 Como Lake thaw?: Como Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 28. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 253 days.
Can I fish at Como Lake?: Public access to Como Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Como Lake across LakeQuality

Minnesota Fishing Guide

Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota

Ramsey County Fishing

Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Minnesota Lake Trips

Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings

The State of Minnesota's Lakes

Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements

More lakes in Minnesota

Clearest lakes in Minnesota

Ranked by Secchi water clarity

All Minnesota lakes

Every Minnesota lake with its Minnesota PCA measurements

Lake water quality by country

Official ratings and named-lake measurements

State Parks Near Como Lake

Fort Snelling State Park

State Park · 6.8 mi

Afton State Park

State Park · 19.3 mi

William O'Brien State Park

State Park · 24.6 mi

Other Lakes in Minnesota

Lilly Lake

Dakota County · 2 ft

Thompson Lake

Dakota County · 3.3 ft

Augusta Lake

Dakota County · 0.7 ft

Snelling Lake

Hennepin County · 1.8 ft

Powderhorn Lake

Hennepin County · 1.5 ft

Dickman Lake

Dakota County · 1.6 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Pickerel Lake Thompson Lake Hiawatha Lake Gun Club Lake

Where this data comes from

1,741 measurements from 3 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 WaterMNPCA1,741 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
2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Turbidity by Nephelometry

Monitoring station identifiers (3)

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.