Josephine Lake
Josephine Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 116.17 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 64°F
- Max depth
- 44 ft
- Area
- 116 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 253 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Josephine Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Josephine Lake is a 116-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Josephine Lake ranks #35 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 onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Josephine Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 92 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 42 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 42 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Josephine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Josephine Lake in Ramsey 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Josephine Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Josephine Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Josephine Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 902 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Josephine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 44 ft |
| Surface Area | 116 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 70% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Josephine LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Josephine 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 52.73 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 23.68 | 0.18 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 11.24 | 0.06 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.41 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.79 | 0.48 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.78 | 2.33 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
Black Crappie
Green Sunfish
Black Bullhead
From the 2024-07-08 survey
Lake Josephine is a eutrophic, class 30 lake located in Ramsey County. The Lake is 116 acres in surface area, with 81 acres being littoral (69.8%). The primary management species in Josephine Lake is Bluegill, and the secondary management species is Walleye. The lake is bordered by the cities of Roseville and Arden…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Josephine Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JosephineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — JosephineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — JosephinePublic 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 | -0.121 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.46 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.49 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 253 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-07 (2017) | 2008-04-20 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2017-12-01 (2017) | 2002-12-20 (2002) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-03-07
EPA Impairment Status
Josephine 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 MN62-0057-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Josephine Lake holds Grade D. 2 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 Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Josephine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 42 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 116.17 acres.
Is Josephine Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Josephine Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 92 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Josephine Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August, from 902 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet. The lake covers 116.17 acres.
What fish are in Josephine Lake?
- Fish species found in Josephine Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Josephine Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Josephine Lake thaw?
- Josephine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 15. The open water season is approximately 253 days.
Are there boat ramps on Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Josephine Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Josephine Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
409 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA409 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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