Emma Lake
Emma Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 78.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 18.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 78 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 218 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Emma Lake is a 78-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Emma Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 18.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Emma Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Emma Lake in Hubbard 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.
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Water Temperature
Emma Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 55 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Emma Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 78 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake EmmaPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Emma Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-08-03 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 14.32 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.25 | 0.17 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.22 | 0.19 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.57 | 2.42 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.18 | 2.91 lb |
| Walleye | 2.42 | 1.47 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
From the 2020-08-03 survey
Emma Lake is located five miles north of Dorset in Hubbard County. Emma has a surface area of 78 acres and a maximum depth of 50 feet. A county owned public access is located on the south shore of the lake. There is no developed boat ramp or dock. A hard sand and gravel shoreline allows for boat launching. The inlet…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Emma Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EmmaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Emma (1298)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EmmaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.197 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-17 (2024) | 2022-05-08 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-12 (2019) | 2021-11-22 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-17
EPA Impairment Status
Emma 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 MN29-0180-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.23 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Emma Lake
What is the water quality grade for Emma Lake?
- Emma Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 78.43 acres.
Is Emma Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Emma Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Emma Lake?
- Emma Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 55 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Emma Lake?
- Emma Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 78.43 acres.
What fish are in Emma Lake?
- Fish species found in Emma Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Emma Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Emma Lake thaw?
- Emma Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 17. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Are there boat ramps on Emma Lake?
- Emma Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Emma. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Emma Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
125 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 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
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