Ham Lake
Anoka County, Minnesota155 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Ham Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
Ham Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 154.63 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 8.33 northern pike per gill net at Ham Lake. DNR survey details →
Ham Lake is a 155-acre mesotrophic lake in Anoka County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Anoka County, Ham Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Ham Lake covers about 150 acres in Anoka County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 3, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Ham Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Ham Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 3
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. Ham Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ham 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 Ham Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Ham Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.2 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.2µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Ham Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ham Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 254 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ham Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 8.33 northern pike per gill net at Ham Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ham Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2016-08-15 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2016-08-15 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 27.11 | 2–7 in 2016-08-15 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.57 | 10–15 in 2004-08-09 | 0.6 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 16.62 | 8–15 in 1999-08-16 | 0.35 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.46 | 8–16 in 2016-08-15 | 1.16 lb |
| Common Carp | 12.50 | 0.17 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 5.82 | 4–9 in 2016-08-15 | 0.18 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
Brown Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2016-08-15 survey
Ham Lake is a 168 acre, class 38 lake located in northern Anoka County, primarily managed for Largemouth Bass with Northern Pike as a secondary management species. There is a public access located in the city park on the south side of the lake, and a 2004 survey found angling pressure to be relatively high compared to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ham Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HamFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HamPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Average depth
6 ft
Surface area
155 acres
Shoreline
3.4 mi
Littoral zone
77%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
883 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ham LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ham Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ham Lake in Anoka 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 Ham 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 →
Follow Ham Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ham 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: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.61 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.69 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 3
Earliest Apr 3, 1983 · Latest Apr 4, 2005
Most recent ice-out
Apr 4
2005
4 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Ham Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN02-0053-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Anoka County
Frequently asked questions about Ham Lake
Where is Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake is a lake in Anoka County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake in Anoka County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 154.63 acres.
Is Ham Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Ham Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 254 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 154.63 acres.
What fish are in Ham Lake?
- Fish species found in Ham Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead. Ham Lake is located in Anoka County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Ham Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2016 caught 8.33 northern pike per gill net at Ham Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ham Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Ham Lake thaw?
- Ham Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3.
Are there boat ramps on Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ham Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Ham Lake?
- Ham Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Ham Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Anoka County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Rum River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Ham Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
140 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA140 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate