Jane Lake
Washington County, Minnesota158 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Jane Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 39 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Jane Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 158.09 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 26, 2019 caught 11.80 northern pike per gill net at Jane Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. DNR survey details →
Jane Lake is a 158-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet (13-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Jane Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Jane Lake covers about 160 acres in Washington County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 9, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Jane Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Jane Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
- Deep water39 ft surveyed max depth
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. Jane Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Jane 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 Jane Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Jane Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.8 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.8µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Jane Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Jane Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 226 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Jane Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 26, 2019 caught 11.80 northern pike per gill net at Jane Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jane Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-26 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2019-06-26 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 46.39 | 2–7 in 2019-06-26 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.92 | 5–18 in 2019-06-26 | 1.1 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 10.45 | 3–9 in 2019-06-26 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.94 | 13–29 in 2019-06-26 | 1.39 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 3.37 | 7–12 in 2019-06-26 | 0.69 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.23 | 2–7 in 2019-06-26 | 0.16 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Hybrid Sunfish
Northern Pike
From the 2019-06-26 survey
Jane Lake is a mesotrophic, class 24 lake that has a maximum depth of 39 feet. Surface acreage is 145 acres with 104 acres 15 ft. or less in depth. Largemouth Bass is the primary management species. A catch and release regulation for Largemouth has been in place since 1997. No stocking of fish has occurred in recent…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Jane Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JaneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — JanePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
39 ft
Average depth
13 ft
Surface area
158 acres
Shoreline
2 mi
Littoral zone
66%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
915 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake JanePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Jane Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jane Lake in Washington 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Jane Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jane Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2023–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 31, 2015 · Latest Apr 19, 1979
Typical ice-in
Dec 6
Earliest Dec 3, 2004 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2015
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Jane Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN82-0104-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Jane Lake
Where is Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 158.09 acres.
Is Jane Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Jane Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October, from 226 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 158.09 acres.
What fish are in Jane Lake?
- Fish species found in Jane Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Jane Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Jane Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 26, 2019 caught 11.80 northern pike per gill net at Jane Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jane Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Jane Lake thaw?
- Jane Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 241 days.
Are there boat ramps on Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Jane. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Jane Lake?
- Jane Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Jane Lake across LakeQuality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
257 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA257 samples · 2023–2025
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.
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