Goose Lake
Goose Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 96.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 11.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 8 ft
- Area
- 11 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
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 Hennepin County
Goose Lake is a 11-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 3 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including black bullhead and black crappie. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Goose Lake ranks #63 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-10-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 0.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 132.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 96.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 77.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 132.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 96.5 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 Hennepin 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 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Apr (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 95 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Goose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 103% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Goose Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 96.56 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.17 | 0.36 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.71 | 0.2 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.33 | 0.1 lb |
| White Crappie | 0.33 | 0.8 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 0.33 | 0.2 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
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2022-07-06 survey
Boundary Creek Pond is part of Fishing in the Neighborhood. It is an eleven-acre lake, and the maximum depth is 8 feet. The lake was last stocked in 2014 and the pier was removed in 2022. The City of Maple Grove has planned to replace it in 2023. Only 2 fish species were captured in 2022. Black Bullhead and Black…
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 — Boundary Creek PondFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Boundary Creek PondFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.15 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -28.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
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 MN27-0122-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #63 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Goose Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Goose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 132.1 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 96.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 11.4 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 96.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 95 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Goose Lake?
- Goose Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 11.4 acres.
What fish are in Goose Lake?
- Fish species found in Goose Lake include black bullhead, black crappie. Goose Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
Explore Goose Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
98 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA98 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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