Hornbean Lake
Dakota County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hornbean Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Limited data
Hornbean Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
Hornbean Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Dakota County, Hornbean Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hornbean 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 Hornbean Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hornbean 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 7.2 ft. Phosphorus 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.6 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 36µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.6µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hornbean Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hornbean Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 83°F) and coldest in Apr (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (83°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2019–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hornbean Lake water temperature breakdown →
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Stays near Hornbean Lake
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Fishing Hornbean Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.13 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.88 µg/L/yr3 years
Nearby Lakes in Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Hornbean Lake
Where is Hornbean Lake?
- Hornbean Lake is a lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hornbean Lake?
- Hornbean Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L.
Is Hornbean Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hornbean Lake?
- Hornbean Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Hornbean Lake?
- Public access to Hornbean 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 Hornbean Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA52 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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.