Goodners Lake
Goodners Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 71 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 190.57 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 191 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Goodners Lake →
Next lake in Stearns County
Goodners Lake is a 191-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet (7-foot average). Water quality is graded D 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 bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Goodners Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 71 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 71 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Goodners Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Goodners Lake in Stearns 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 Goodners Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Goodners Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Goodners Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 168 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Goodners Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Average Depth | 7.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 191 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 51% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Goodner LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Goodners Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.01 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.30 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.34 | 0.84 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.07 | 2.38 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.74 | 1.26 lb |
| White Crappie | 5.67 | 0.34 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2019-08-26 survey
Goodners Lake is a popular panfish lake located five (5) miles northwest of Kimball in southeastern Stearns County. The lake is 150 acres and has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The watershed is primarily agricultural and is reflected in the lower water clarity. Proper land use practices are encouraged within the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Goodners Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GoodnersFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Goodners (1998)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GoodnersPublic 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 | -0.19 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Goodners Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0076-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Goodners Lake holds Grade D. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Goodners Lake
What is the water quality grade for Goodners Lake?
- Goodners Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 71 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 190.57 acres.
Is Goodners 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. Goodners Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Goodners Lake?
- Goodners Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 168 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Goodners Lake?
- Goodners Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet and an average depth of 7.4 feet. The lake covers 190.57 acres.
What fish are in Goodners Lake?
- Fish species found in Goodners Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Goodners Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Goodners Lake?
- Goodners Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Goodner Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Goodners Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
74 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
MNPCA74 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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