Grace Lake
Carver County, MinnesotaEutrophic
On the scoring rubric Grace Lake grades a D: clarity at 2.6 ft and 88 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Carver County. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.
At a TSI of 66, Grace Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 22 ft puts Grace Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. At 20 acres, Grace Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Grace Lake sits at rank 23 of 40 in Carver County, in the lower half of the local distribution.
Eurasian watermilfoil is established at Grace Lake, which can dampen recreational access and pressure the native plant community. The fishery is bass-led, with 11 documented species across the lake's records. No formal public access is documented at Grace Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk
Water Quality Grade: D, Poor
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 88 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 88 µg/L | D |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 22 ft |
| Average Depth | 11.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 20.18 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Grace Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Grace Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Grace Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.001 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.7 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 40 lakes in Carver County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Grace Lake holds Grade D. 4 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- ABrickyard LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (D → A)
- ACourthouse LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (D → A)
- BFireman'S LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (D → B)
- CBavaria LakeCarver County · mi · Higher grade (D → C)
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Grace Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1998-06-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 103.09 | 0.18 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 14.67 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 12.50 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.00 | 0.14 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 5.00 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.25 | 0.21 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
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Bluegill
From the 1998-06-04 survey
Black bullheads are the most abundant species in Grace Lake, but they average only 7.5 inches in length. Both bluegills and black crappies were found to be rather abundant. Each species were sampled within the normal range when compared to similar lakes. The average size of the bluegills and black crappies sampled was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Grace Lake. 1 report on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — UnnamedFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Grace Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Grace (completed 1968), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the East Creek; earth-type dam, 40 ft tall and 100 ft long.
- Surface area
- 19 ac
- Normal storage
- 200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 6.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Chaska
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00808 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Grace 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 MN10-0218-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.07 km)
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Most recent sample: 2024-10-23
Monitoring stations: 1