Henshaw Lake
Henshaw Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 8 ft
- Area
- 272 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Henshaw Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
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). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 104 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 86.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 104 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 86.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Henshaw Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Henshaw Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Henshaw Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft |
| Average Depth | 4.3 ft |
| Surface Area | 272 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| 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 Henshaw Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-09-12 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 94.83 | 0.05 lb |
| Bluegill | 49.67 | 0.04 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.67 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.00 | 0.04 lb |
| Common Carp | 0.67 | 3.83 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 0.50 | 0.38 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.021 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -33.6 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -12.06 µg/L/yr | 5 |
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0213-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #51 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Henshaw Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Henshaw Lake
What is the water quality grade for Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Henshaw Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 86.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Henshaw Lake?
- Henshaw Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
Explore Henshaw Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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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)
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