Crystal Lake
Scott County, Minnesota31 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Crystal Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 26 ft max depth
- Limited data
Crystal Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 31.44 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 9.00 northern pike per gill net at Crystal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–31 inches. DNR survey details →
Crystal Lake is a 31-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Crystal Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Crystal Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Crystal 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.
Water quality measurements for Crystal Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Crystal Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.8 ft. Phosphorus 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.5 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 51µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Crystal Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Crystal Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 79°F) and coldest in Oct (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2022–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crystal Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 9.00 northern pike per gill net at Crystal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–31 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crystal 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-08-15 (Standard Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2016-08-15 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 27.72 | 5–11 in 2016-08-15 | 0.21 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 16.48 | 7–10 in 2009-08-24 | 0.19 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.95 | 2–7 in 2016-08-15 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.15 | 4–11 in 2016-08-15 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.67 | 15–31 in 2016-08-15 | 1.92 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.45 | 6–15 in 2016-08-15 | 0.94 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.
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2016-08-15 survey
Crystal Lake is a 32-acre Class 36 lake located in the City of Prior Lake. The area around Crystal Lake is currently being redeveloped, changing from a primarily agricultural area to a residential area with a city park. The City of Prior Lake operates an aerator throughout the winter months to reduce the potentials or…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crystal Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrystalFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CrystalFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Surface area
31 acres
Shoreline
1.3 mi
Littoral zone
91%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
948 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Crystal Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crystal 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Crystal Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Crystal 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crystal Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+15.55 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+6.5 µg/L/yr5 years
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Crystal Lake
Where is Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake is a lake in Scott County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 31.44 acres.
Is Crystal Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crystal Lake?
- Crystal Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 31.44 acres.
What fish are in Crystal Lake?
- Fish species found in Crystal Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed. Crystal Lake is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crystal Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 9.00 northern pike per gill net at Crystal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 15–31 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Crystal 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.
Can I fish at Crystal Lake?
- Public access to Crystal 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 Crystal Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA39 samples · 2022–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder