Edward Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota2,628 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Edward Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 75 ft max depth
- Public access
Edward Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 2627.92 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.73 walleye per gill net at Edward Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–15 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Edward Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Edward Lake is a 2,628-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 75 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Edward Lake ranks #54 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Edward Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
- Deep water75 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,628 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Edward Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Edward 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 Edward Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Edward Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.5 ft down. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.6µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Edward Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Edward Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Edward Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.73 walleye per gill net at Edward Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–15 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Edward 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
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-22 (Targeted Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-22 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.60 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 16.00 | 5–14 in 2023-07-24 | 0.62 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.61 | 3–7 in 2023-07-24 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 10.16 | 5–15 in 2025-09-22 | 1.73 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2025-09-22 survey
Edward is stocked annually with 2 million Walleye fry. Night electrofishing was conducted on September 22nd, 2025, to monitor the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleyes. The total sample time was 2 hours, resulting in a YOY Walleye catch rate of 4.5 per hour. These fish ranged in size from 5.3 to 6.5 inches,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Edward Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EdwardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EdwardFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EdwardPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
75 ft
Surface area
2,628 acres
Shoreline
8.6 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
15 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,191 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Edward Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Edward 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Edward Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Edward 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.89 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.11 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Mar 12, 2024 · Latest May 5, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 12, 2019 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2025
32 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Edward Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0305-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Edward Lake
Where is Edward Lake?
- Edward Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Edward Lake?
- Edward Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 15.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 2627.92 acres.
Is Edward Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Edward Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Edward Lake?
- Edward Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Edward Lake?
- Edward Lake has a maximum depth of 75 feet. The lake covers 2627.92 acres.
What fish are in Edward Lake?
- Fish species found in Edward Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Edward Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Edward Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 24, 2023 caught 8.73 walleye per gill net at Edward Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–15 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Edward 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.
When does Edward Lake thaw?
- Edward Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Can I fish at Edward Lake?
- Public access to Edward Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Edward Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
125 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
MNPCA125 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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