Great Northern Lake
Great Northern Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 16.2 ft. Surface area: 195.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 80°F
- Max depth
- 16.2 ft
- Area
- 196 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Mar 29
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Great Northern Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Great Northern Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Great Northern Lake is a 196-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Great Northern Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Great Northern Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Great Northern Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Great Northern Lake in Stearns 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Great Northern 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
Great Northern Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 36 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Great Northern Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16.2 ft |
| Average Depth | 6.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 196 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 95% |
| 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 Great Northern 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-15 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 53.70 | 1.52 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 46.90 | — |
| Black Crappie | 34.74 | 0.32 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 19.36 | — |
| Channel Catfish | 19.26 | 1.84 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.02 | 0.63 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.
Walleye
Black Crappie
Channel Catfish
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-10-15 survey
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL) is located in south-central Stearns County near the city of Cold Spring. A dam on the Sauk River built in the early 1900s created the SRCL and provides access to over 3,200 acres of connected water, including Bolfing, Great Northern, Knaus, Krays, Schneider, Zumwalde, Cedar Island,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Great Northern Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Great NorthernFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.268 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +33.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +22.45 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2025-03-29 (2025) | 2023-04-16 (2023) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-29
EPA Impairment Status
Great Northern 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 MN73-0083-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Great Northern Lake
Great Northern Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Great Northern Lake
What is the water quality grade for Great Northern Lake?
- Great Northern Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 16.2 ft. Surface area: 195.9 acres.
Is Great Northern Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Great Northern Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Great Northern Lake?
- Great Northern Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August, from 36 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Great Northern Lake?
- Great Northern Lake has a maximum depth of 16.2 feet and an average depth of 6.1 feet. The lake covers 195.9 acres.
What fish are in Great Northern Lake?
- Fish species found in Great Northern Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Great Northern Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Great Northern Lake thaw?
- Great Northern Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 29.
Explore Great Northern Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
51 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
MNPCA51 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate