Emily Lake
Pope County, Minnesota2,316 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Emily Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 6 ft max depth
- Public access
Emily Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 2316.32 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 2, 2025 caught 5.62 walleye per gill net at Emily Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Emily Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 3 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Emily Lake is a 2,316-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet (5-foot average). Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 26 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Emily Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Emily Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing26 species recorded
- Big water2,316 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Emily Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Emily 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 Emily Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Emily 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. Phosphorus 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24.5 µg/L. TSI 66.
| 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 | 90µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 24.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Emily Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Emily Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Emily Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Emily Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (131,826 cells/mL) on July 9, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 2, 2025 caught 5.62 walleye per gill net at Emily Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Emily Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-02 (Targeted Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-02 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 32.18 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 10.89 | 6–18 in 2022-06-06 | 1.59 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.39 | 13–14 in 2025-06-02 | 1 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 7.07 |
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
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-06-02 survey
Lake Emily is a shallow 2,377-acre, highly-productive basin located in southwestern Pope County with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Despite being shallow, winterkill events have been rare. Groundwater exchange, springs, and combined stream flows from the Little Chippewa River and Lake Minnewaska help sustain adequate…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Emily Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EmilyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EmilyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EmilyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
6 ft
Average depth
5 ft
Surface area
2,316 acres
Shoreline
12 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
152 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,066 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake EmilyPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Emily Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Emily Lake in Pope 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Emily Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Emily Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Emily 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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.37 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.88 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Emily 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, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0180-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Emily Lake
Where is Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 2316.32 acres.
Is Emily Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Emily Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake has a maximum depth of 6 feet and an average depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 2316.32 acres.
What fish are in Emily Lake?
- Fish species found in Emily Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, greater redhorse, hybrid crappie, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, quillback, redhorse, river redhorse, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white bass, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Emily Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Emily Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 2, 2025 caught 5.62 walleye per gill net at Emily Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Emily Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Emily Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Emily Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (131,826 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Emily. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Emily Lake?
- Emily 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 Emily Lake across LakeQuality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
86 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
MNPCA86 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 (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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory