Ida Lake
Ida Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 225.53 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 226 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 5
- Open water
- 246 days
Next lake in Wright County
Ida Lake is a 226-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet (19-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Ida Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Ida Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ida 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.
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Water Temperature
Ida Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ida Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Average Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 226 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ida LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ida Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.73 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.50 | 0.74 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.90 | 1.31 lb |
| BKF | 8.13 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 7.74 | 0.63 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 5.74 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Yellow Bass
From the 2022-06-20 survey
Ida Lake is located in northern Wright County, about four miles west of Monticello. The lake has a surface area of 231 acres and a maximum depth of 60 feet. Ida Lake is one of the clearer lakes in the area and is popular for angling and other types of recreation. A public access located on the southeast shore has a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ida Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IdaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ida (2006)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IdaPublic 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 | -0.15 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.5 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 246 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-16 (2016) | 2013-05-04 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2005-11-28 (2005) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-22
EPA Impairment Status
Ida 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 MN86-0146-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Ida Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 225.53 acres.
Is Ida Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Ida Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet and an average depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 225.53 acres.
What fish are in Ida Lake?
- Fish species found in Ida Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead. Ida Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Ida Lake thaw?
- Ida Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 5. Ice typically forms around Dec 7. The open water season is approximately 246 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ida Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ida Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
68 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
MNPCA68 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
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate