John Lake
John Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 397.49 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 397 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 229 days
Next lake in Wright County
John Lake is a 397-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded B 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 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, John Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near John Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near John 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
John Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°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 39 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full John Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for John Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (6,855 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Average Depth | 12.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 397 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 89% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Huikko LandingPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing John 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.17 | 0.18 lb |
| BCS | 21.67 | — |
| BKS | 18.88 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 16.68 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.34 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 13.35 | 0.69 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.
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-07-31 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in John Lake, was conducted on July 31st, 2025, by Area Fisheries 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 possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for John Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JohnFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — John (2013)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — JohnFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — JohnPublic 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 | -0.127 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (38 observations).
Estimated open water season: 229 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-08 (2024) | 2018-05-02 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-25
EPA Impairment Status
John 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 MN86-0288-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
John Lake holds Grade B. 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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about John Lake
What is the water quality grade for John Lake?
- John Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 397.49 acres.
Is John Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. John Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of John Lake?
- John Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 39 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is John Lake?
- John Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and an average depth of 12.9 feet. The lake covers 397.49 acres.
What fish are in John Lake?
- Fish species found in John Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. John Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does John Lake thaw?
- John Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Does John Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for John Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (6,855 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on John Lake?
- John Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Huikko Landing. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore John Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
136 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
MNPCA136 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