Emily Lake
Emily Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 6 ft
- Area
- 2,316 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Emily Lake →
Next lake in Pope County
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 quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Emily Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 90 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 90 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Emily Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Emily Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Emily Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 6 ft |
| Average Depth | 5 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,316 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 12 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake EmilyPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 32.18 | — |
| BKF | 12.45 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.89 | 1.59 lb |
| EMS | 8.15 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 7.39 | 1 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 7.07 | — |
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.
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
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.096 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.37 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.88 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0180-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Emily Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Emily Lake
What is the water quality grade for Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Emily Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Emily Lake?
- Emily Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Emily Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Emily Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Emily Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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