Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 462.42 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 462 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 239 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Eagle Lake →
Next lake in Sherburne County
Eagle Lake is a 462-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sherburne County, Eagle Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 29.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 61.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 29.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Eagle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Eagle Lake in Sherburne 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 Eagle Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Eagle Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Eagle Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 77 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Eagle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (794,328 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Average Depth | 10.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 462 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 71% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Eagle LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Eagle Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 68.80 | 0.11 lb |
| BKS | 38.08 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 36.35 | 0.62 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 33.12 | — |
| Bluegill | 30.66 | 0.14 lb |
| SFS | 29.07 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
From the 2021-06-17 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore and littoral fish species in Eagle Lake was conducted beginning on June 17th, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EagleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EaglePublic 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 | -0.032 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 239 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-01 (2007) | 2013-04-30 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-23 (2007) | 2001-12-14 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-02
EPA Impairment Status
Eagle 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 MN71-0067-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 18 lakes in Sherburne County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Eagle Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Eagle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 61.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 462.42 acres.
Is Eagle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Eagle Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 29.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 77 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet and an average depth of 10.7 feet. The lake covers 462.42 acres.
What fish are in Eagle Lake?
- Fish species found in Eagle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Eagle Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
When does Eagle Lake thaw?
- Eagle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Does Eagle Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (794,328 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Eagle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Eagle Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
102 measurements from 2 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 Water
MNPCA102 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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