Granite Lake
Wright County, Minnesota362 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Granite Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
Granite Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 361.67 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 3.67 walleye per gill net at Granite Lake. DNR survey details →
Granite Lake is a 362-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (18-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Granite Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Granite Lake covers about 360 acres in Wright County. The median ice-out date is April 9, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Granite Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Granite Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
- Deep water34 ft surveyed max depth
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. Granite Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Granite 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 Granite Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Granite Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 42.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16 µg/L. TSI 57.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 42.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 16µg/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. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Granite Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Granite Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 205 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Granite Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 3.67 walleye per gill net at Granite Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Granite Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.08 | 3–8 in 2024-08-26 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 35.74 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 26.46 | 10–13 in 2024-08-26 | 0.94 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.70 | 6–19 in 2024-08-26 | 0.83 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 13.27 | 4–6 in 2024-08-26 | 0.11 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 13.20 | 7 in 2024-08-26 | 0.1 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
From the 2024-08-26 survey
Granite Lake is a 353-acre lake located south of the city of Annandale in Wright County. The lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet with one public access located on the southwest side of the lake. The watershed is relatively small and primarily composed of agriculture, open water, and forest lands. Water clarity was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Granite Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GraniteFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Granite (2019)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GraniteFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GranitePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
34 ft
Average depth
17.7 ft
Surface area
362 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
30%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,017 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Granite Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Granite Lake in Wright 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 Granite Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Granite 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 Granite Lake
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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.04 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.02 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 10, 2024 · Latest May 2, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 15, 2014 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 10
2024
36 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Granite Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0217-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Granite Lake
Where is Granite Lake?
- Granite Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Granite Lake?
- Granite Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 361.67 acres.
Is Granite Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Granite Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Granite Lake?
- Granite Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in October, from 205 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Granite Lake?
- Granite Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 17.7 feet. The lake covers 361.67 acres.
What fish are in Granite Lake?
- Fish species found in Granite Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Granite Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Granite Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 3.67 walleye per gill net at Granite Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Granite Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Granite Lake thaw?
- Granite Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Can I fish at Granite Lake?
- Public access to Granite Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Granite Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Granite Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
165 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
MNPCA165 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate