Henshaw Lake
Wright County, Minnesota272 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Henshaw Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 8 ft max depth
Henshaw Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 104 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 86.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 272.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR surveys at Henshaw Lake average 94.83 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 12, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–12 inches. DNR survey details →
Henshaw Lake is a 272-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet (4-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and common carp. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Henshaw Lake ranks #51 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Henshaw Lake covers about 270 acres in Wright County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Henshaw Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Henshaw Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing3 species recorded
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. Henshaw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Henshaw 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 Henshaw Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Henshaw Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 104 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 86.6 µg/L. TSI 74.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 104µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 86.6µg/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. | 74 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Henshaw Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Henshaw Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 83 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Henshaw Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR surveys at Henshaw Lake average 94.83 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 12, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–12 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Henshaw 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-09-12 (Targeted Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 2006-09-12 (Targeted Survey)
20 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 94.83 | 3–12 in 2006-09-12 | 0.05 lb |
| Bluegill | 49.67 | 3–6 in 2006-09-12 | 0.04 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.67 | 3–10 in 2006-09-12 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.00 | 4–6 in 2006-09-12 | 0.04 lb |
| Common Carp | 0.67 | 14–23 in 2006-09-12 | 3.83 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 0.50 | 5–11 in 2006-09-12 | 0.38 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.
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
From the 2006-09-12 survey
Henshaw Lake is located three miles southwest of Maple Lake in Wright County. It has a surface area of 262 acres and a maximum depth of nine feet. The watershed is 9,717 acres, mostly agricultural, and water quality is poor. Henshaw Lake lies within the Clearwater River Watershed District and has been targeted by the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Henshaw Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HenshawFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
8 ft
Average depth
4.3 ft
Surface area
272 acres
Shoreline
2.9 mi
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
10 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,027 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Henshaw Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Henshaw 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 Henshaw Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Henshaw 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 Henshaw Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-33.6 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-12.06 µg/L/yr5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Henshaw 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0213-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Henshaw Lake
Where is Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw 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 Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 104 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 86.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 272.21 acres.
Is Henshaw Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Henshaw Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 83 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet and an average depth of 4.3 feet. The lake covers 272.21 acres.
What fish are in Henshaw Lake?
- Fish species found in Henshaw Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, common carp. Henshaw Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Henshaw Lake?
- Minnesota DNR surveys at Henshaw Lake average 94.83 black crappie per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated September 12, 2006. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–12 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Henshaw 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.
Can I fish at Henshaw Lake?
- Public access to Henshaw Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Henshaw 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
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Where this data comes from
64 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
MNPCA64 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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