Elysian (Upper Lake
Elysian (Upper Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- ~11 ft est.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 28
- Open water
- 244 days
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Why Elysian (Upper Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Elysian (Upper Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Elysian (Upper Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Elysian (Upper Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elysian (Upper Lake in Waseca 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 Elysian (Upper Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Elysian (Upper Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. 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.
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
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
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
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
Fishing Elysian (Upper Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.105 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 244 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-07 (2017) | 2013-04-23 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2008-11-21 (2008) | 2015-12-20 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-15
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN81-0095-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.71 km)
Graded lakes near Elysian (Upper Lake
Elysian (Upper Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Waseca County
Frequently asked questions about Elysian (Upper Lake
Where is Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake is a lake in Waseca County, Minnesota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility.
Is Elysian (Upper Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Elysian (Upper Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elysian (Upper Lake?
- Elysian (Upper Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, 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.
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)
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