Goose Lake
Goose Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 302 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 3
- Open water
- 243 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Goose Lake →
Next lake in Carver County
Goose Lake is a 302-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Goose 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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 132.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 160.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 77.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 132.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 160.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 77 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Goose Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Goose 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
Goose Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 302 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 98% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Goose Lake/Hunting accessPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Goose Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1995-08-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 261.33 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 17.11 | 1.83 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.45 | 0.71 lb |
| Common Carp | 3.28 | 0.28 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.61 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.61 | 0.43 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.9 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -18.79 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (20 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-18 (2022) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-27
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #25 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Goose Lake holds Grade F. 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 Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Goose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Goose Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 160.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Goose Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carver County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Goose Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
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