Goose Lake
Carver County, Minnesota302 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Goose Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
Goose Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 160.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 302.16 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 1995 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Goose Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–29 inches. DNR survey details →
Goose Lake is a 302-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Goose Lake ranks #25 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Goose Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 3
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. Goose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Goose 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 Goose Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Goose 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 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 160.5 µg/L. TSI 77.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 133µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 161µg/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. | 77 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Goose Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Goose Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 177 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Goose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Goose Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (2,147,831 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 1995 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Goose Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–29 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Goose Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1995-08-21 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 1995-08-21 (Standard Survey)
31 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 261.33 | 3–11 in 1995-08-21 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 17.11 | 12–29 in 1995-08-21 | 1.83 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.45 | 2–12 in 1995-08-21 | 0.71 lb |
| Common Carp | 3.28 | 3–14 in 1995-08-21 | 0.28 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.61 | 3–5 in 1995-08-21 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.61 | 7–8 in 1995-08-21 | 0.43 lb |
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.
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
Common Carp
From the 1995-08-21 survey
The fish population was found to be dominated by black bullheads of small average size (approximately 6.0" in length). Small largemouth bass (about 10.5") and pumpkinseed sunfish (5.0) were also present in above average numbers. Northern pike were captured in numbers far below previous years standards and averaged…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Goose Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
10 ft
Surface area
302 acres
Shoreline
4.9 mi
Littoral zone
98%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
955 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Goose Lake/Hunting accessPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Goose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Goose Lake in Carver 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 Goose Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Goose 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 Goose Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.9 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-18.79 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 3
Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest Apr 30, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 18, 2022 · Latest Dec 7, 2021
Most recent ice-out
Mar 27
2026
20 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Goose 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0089-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Goose Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Mayer WwtpMayer · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MN0021202Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Goose Lake
Where is Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake is a lake in Carver County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 160.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 302.16 acres.
Is Goose Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Goose Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 177 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 302.16 acres.
What fish are in Goose Lake?
- Fish species found in Goose Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Goose Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Goose Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 1995 caught 0.67 northern pike per gill net at Goose Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–29 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Goose Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Goose Lake thaw?
- Goose Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Does Goose Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Goose Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (2,147,831 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Goose Lake/Hunting access. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Goose Lake?
- Goose 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 Goose Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
128 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
MNPCA128 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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