Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 224.04 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 53 ft
- Area
- 224 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Chisago County
Horseshoe Lake is a 224-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Chisago County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 53 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Chisago County, Horseshoe Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Horseshoe Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Horseshoe Lake in Chisago 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.
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Water Temperature
Horseshoe Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Horseshoe Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 53 ft |
| Average Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 224 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Horseshoe LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Horseshoe Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 37.71 | 0.25 lb |
| CNM | 35.37 | — |
| Bluegill | 21.87 | 0.2 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 10.71 | 0.07 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.29 | 1.44 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.92 | 0.18 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
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-08-28 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Horseshoe Lake was conducted on August 28, 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 or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Horseshoe Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HorseshoeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HorseshoePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.019 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.59 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.41 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Horseshoe Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN13-0073-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 30 lakes in Chisago County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Horseshoe Lake holds Grade C. 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 Chisago County
Frequently asked questions about Horseshoe Lake
What is the water quality grade for Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 224.04 acres.
Is Horseshoe Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Horseshoe Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake has a maximum depth of 53 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 224.04 acres.
What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?
- Fish species found in Horseshoe Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Horseshoe Lake is located in Chisago County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Horseshoe Lake?
- Horseshoe Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Horseshoe Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Horseshoe Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
96 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
MNPCA96 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory