East Auburn Lake
East Auburn Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Mean depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 1
- Open water
- 235 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near East Auburn Lake →
Next lake in Carver County
East Auburn Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, East Auburn Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-13. 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 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 57 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near East Auburn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Auburn Lake in Carver 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 East Auburn Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near East Auburn Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
East Auburn Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Oct (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 489 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Auburn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Auburn Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,106,624 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 |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for East Auburn Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
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.
Fishing East Auburn 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 Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Auburn Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Public Water Access Sites — East AuburnPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.033 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +9.35 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (32 observations).
Estimated open water season: 235 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-12 (2019) | 2011-12-02 (2011) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-30
EPA Impairment Status
East Auburn 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 MN10-0044-02 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #21 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
East Auburn 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 Carver County
Frequently asked questions about East Auburn Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Auburn Lake?
- East Auburn Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 57 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.8 µg/L.
Is East Auburn 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. East Auburn Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of East Auburn Lake?
- East Auburn Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 489 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Auburn Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers East Auburn Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 12 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 East Auburn Lake thaw?
- East Auburn Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 1. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Does East Auburn Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Auburn Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,106,624 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore East Auburn Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
210 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
MNPCA210 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate