Johnson Lake
Becker County, Minnesota183 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Johnson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 30 ft max depth
- Limited data
Johnson Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 183.36 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 23, 1984 caught 0.75 walleye per gill net at Johnson Lake. DNR survey details →
Johnson Lake is a 183-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Johnson Lake ranks #34 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Johnson Lake covers about 180 acres in Becker County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Johnson Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Johnson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water30 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Johnson 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 Johnson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Johnson 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 9.3 ft. Phosphorus 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.6 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.5µg/L | Good 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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Johnson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Johnson Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 161 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Johnson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 23, 1984 caught 0.75 walleye per gill net at Johnson Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Johnson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1984-07-23 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1984-07-23 (Standard Survey)
42 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 38.50 | 0.22 lb | |
| Yellow Bullhead | 24.32 | 0.52 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 5.38 | 2.31 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.44 | 0.25 lb | |
| Black Bullhead | 2.25 | 0.5 lb | |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.31 | 0.67 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.
From the 1984-07-23 survey
NORTHERN PIKE, YELLOW PERCH, AND YELLOW BULLHEAD POPULATIONS ARE ALL WELL-ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIAN NUMBERS. THE ONLY SPECIES TO SHOW A SIGNIFI CANT DECLINE IN TEST NET CATCH IS THE BLUEGILL- POSSIBLY DUE TO CHANGE IN SURVEY DATE FROM LATE JUNE TO LATE JULY.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Johnson Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JohnsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
183 acres
Shoreline
3.4 mi
Littoral zone
55%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,329 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Johnson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Johnson Lake in Becker 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 Johnson Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Johnson Lake
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Johnson Lake
Where is Johnson Lake?
- Johnson Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Johnson Lake?
- Johnson Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 183.36 acres.
Is Johnson 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 Johnson Lake?
- Johnson Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 161 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Johnson Lake?
- Johnson Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 183.36 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Johnson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 23, 1984 caught 0.75 walleye per gill net at Johnson Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Johnson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Johnson Lake?
- Public access to Johnson 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 Johnson Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
24 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
MNPCA24 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder