Deans Lake
Scott County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Deans Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 35 ft max depth
- Limited data
Deans Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L.
Deans Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Deans Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Deans Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 18
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 Deans 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 Deans Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Deans Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.4 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 33µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Deans Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Deans Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (83°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Deans Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~35 ft est.
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Deans Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
69 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.3 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
732 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Deans Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deans 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Deans Lake
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Follow Deans Lake’s readings
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Fishing Deans Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Worsening+3 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-13.1 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 18
Earliest Mar 1, 2024 · Latest Mar 27, 2020
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 12, 2014 · Latest Dec 16, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 1
2024
9 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Deans Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Smsc Organics Recycling FacilityShakopee · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MN0075025
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 Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Deans Lake
Where is Deans Lake?
- Deans 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 Deans Lake?
- Deans Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 33 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L.
Is Deans 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 Deans Lake?
- Deans Lake typically sits around 83°F at the surface in July, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Deans Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Deans Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Deans Lake thaw?
- Deans Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 18. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 258 days.
Can I fish at Deans Lake?
- Public access to Deans 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 Deans Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Scott County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Deans Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community of Minnesota (Tribal)
SMSCGOV_WQX13 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate