Josephine Lake
Ramsey County, Minnesota116 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Josephine Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 44 ft max depth
- Public access
Josephine Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Josephine Lake. DNR survey details →
Josephine Lake is a 116-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Josephine Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 6
- Deep water44 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
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.
Whether Josephine 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 Josephine Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Josephine 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 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 42 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.7 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 42µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Josephine Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Josephine Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (41°F) to its warmest (64°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Josephine Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Josephine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 52.73 | 6–7 in 2024-07-08 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 23.68 | 4–8 in 2024-07-08 | 0.18 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 11.24 | 3–6 in 2012-07-23 | 0.06 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.41 | 10–11 in 2006-07-17 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 5.79 | 6–13 in 2012-07-23 | 0.48 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.78 | 14–29 in 2024-07-08 | 2.33 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
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
Lake Details
Max depth
44 ft
Surface area
116 acres
Shoreline
1.7 mi
Littoral zone
70%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
876 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Josephine LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Josephine Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Josephine 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 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+2.46 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.49 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 6
Earliest Mar 7, 2017 · Latest Apr 20, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 15
Earliest Dec 1, 2017 · Latest Dec 20, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Mar 7
2017
24 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0057-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Josephine Lake
Where is Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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 is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Josephine Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Josephine Lake?
- Josephine Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Josephine Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Josephine Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Josephine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Josephine Lake?
- Josephine 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 Josephine Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Josephine Lake
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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)
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