Hill River Lake
Hill River Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 102.07 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.1 ft
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 102 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Hill River Lake →
Next lake in Polk County
Hill River Lake is a 102-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Hill River Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 73 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 29.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 73 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 29.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Hill River Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hill River Lake in Polk 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 Hill River Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Hill River Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 102 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 66% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Hill River LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hill River Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 22.23 | 0.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.34 | 0.28 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.52 | 0.18 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 7.74 | 0.57 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.94 | 0.26 lb |
| TPM | 5.16 | 0.03 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 Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Brown Bullhead
From the 2025-06-24 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Hill River Lake was conducted on June 24th-25th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hill River Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Hill RiverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hill River (1956)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Hill RiverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.094 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -8.9 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Hill River Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Hill River Lake (completed 1950), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Hill River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 42 ft long.
- Surface area
- 88 ac
- Normal storage
- 780 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 940 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 99 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Fisheries
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00226 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 19 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Hill River Lake
What is the water quality grade for Hill River Lake?
- Hill River Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 73 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 102.07 acres.
Is Hill River Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Hill River Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 29.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Hill River Lake?
- Hill River Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 102.07 acres.
What fish are in Hill River Lake?
- Fish species found in Hill River Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hill River Lake is located in Polk County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Hill River Lake?
- Hill River Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hill River Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hill River Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
90 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
MNPCA90 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory