Edna Lake
Edna Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 63 ft. Surface area: 156.45 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 63 ft
- Area
- 156 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Edna Lake is a 156-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 63 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Edna Lake ranks #59 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-10. 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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Edna Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Edna Lake in Crow Wing 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 63 ft |
| Surface Area | 156 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 58% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Edna LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Edna Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 87.49 | 0.1 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 9.36 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.93 | 0.51 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.67 | 1.51 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.61 | 0.22 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 3.83 | 0.95 lb |
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.
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2015-06-15 survey
Edna Lake is a 156 acre lake in west-central Crow Wing County, just north of the city of Nisswa. The maximum depth is 63 feet. The primary management species for Edna are northern pike and walleye. A standard survey was conducted the week of June 15, 2015. The northern pike catch rate was 5.2/gill net. This is close…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Edna Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EdnaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Edna (0196)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EdnaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EdnaPublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.314 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (32 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 1979-05-02 (1979) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-19 (1991) | 1999-12-14 (1999) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-12
EPA Impairment Status
Edna Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0403-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.54 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #59 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Edna Lake
What is the water quality grade for Edna Lake?
- Edna Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 63 ft. Surface area: 156.45 acres.
Is Edna Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Edna Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Edna Lake?
- Edna Lake has a maximum depth of 63 feet. The lake covers 156.45 acres.
What fish are in Edna Lake?
- Fish species found in Edna Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead. Edna Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Edna Lake thaw?
- Edna Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16.
Are there boat ramps on Edna Lake?
- Edna Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Edna Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA14 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate