Hanson Lake
Hanson Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 289.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 100 ft
- Area
- 289 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Why Hanson 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 Hanson 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.
Hanson Lake is a 289-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 100 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including burbot, cisco species, and lake trout. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Hanson Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Hanson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hanson Lake in Lake 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 Hanson Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft |
| Surface Area | 289 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 15% |
| 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 Hanson Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| LKW | 10.22 | 1.28 lb |
| CIS | 2.85 | 0.14 lb |
| BUB | 2.36 | 0.64 lb |
| Lake Trout | 2.21 | 2.4 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.50 | 2.93 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 1.45 | 2.09 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.
LKW
CIS
BUB
Lake Trout
From the 2025-08-01 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Hanson Lake on August 1st, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hanson Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HansonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.13 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Hanson Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0206-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Hanson Lake
What is the water quality grade for Hanson Lake?
- Hanson Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 289.43 acres.
Is Hanson Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Hanson Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Hanson Lake?
- Hanson Lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet. The lake covers 289.43 acres.
What fish are in Hanson Lake?
- Fish species found in Hanson Lake include burbot, cisco species, lake trout, lake whitefish, smallmouth bass, white sucker. Hanson Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
Explore Hanson Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 9 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
MNPCA26 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (9)
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