Elysian (Upper Lake
Waseca County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
This is the name Minnesota PCA records for this water. It can describe one sampling location rather than the water as a whole.
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Elysian (Upper Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Elysian (Upper Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility.
Elysian (Upper Lake is a lake in Waseca County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 11 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Elysian (Upper Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 28
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Elysian (Upper Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Elysian (Upper 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 Elysian (Upper Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Elysian (Upper Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Elysian (Upper Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Elysian (Upper Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Sep (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elysian (Upper Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elysian (Upper 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 — ElysianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
~11 ft est.
Public access
Yes
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 Elysian (Upper Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
71 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
2,073 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
15.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,007 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.
Recreation & Access
- Elysian Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Elysian (Upper Lake
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Follow Elysian (Upper Lake’s readings
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Fishing Elysian (Upper Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 28
Earliest Mar 7, 2017 · Latest Apr 23, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 21, 2008 · Latest Dec 20, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 15
2025
25 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Elysian (Upper 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN81-0095-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Waseca County
Frequently asked questions about Elysian (Upper Lake
Where is Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake is in Waseca County, Minnesota. This is the name Minnesota PCA records for this water. It can describe one sampling location rather than the water as a whole. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility.
Is Elysian (Upper Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Elysian (Upper Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elysian (Upper Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Elysian (Upper Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 11 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 Elysian (Upper Lake thaw?
- Elysian (Upper Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 28. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 244 days.
Are there boat ramps on Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elysian Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Elysian (Upper Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA46 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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