Julia Lake
Julia Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 154.48 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 154 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 2
- Open water
- 240 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Julia Lake →
Next lake in Sherburne County
Julia Lake is a 154-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sherburne County, Julia Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 78 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 28.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 78 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Julia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Julia Lake in Sherburne 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 Julia Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Julia Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Julia Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 209 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Julia Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Average Depth | 8.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 154 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Julia LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Julia Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-10-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 31.31 | 1.32 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 27.14 | 1.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 22.60 | 0.14 lb |
| JND | 20.60 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 18.38 | 0.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.34 | 0.14 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.
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
JND
From the 2024-10-03 survey
The Briggs Chain of Lakes is made up of Briggs, Julia and Rush lakes which are connected by a navigable channel. Walleye fry have been stocked into the chain every other year since 1992. Night electrofishing was conducted during the evening of October 3, 2024. A total of nine young of year (YOY) Walleye were collected…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Julia Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JuliaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Julia (1975)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — JuliaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — JuliaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.043 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +16.33 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.77 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 240 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2008-04-21 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-24 (2003) | 2001-12-09 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-30
EPA Impairment Status
Julia 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 MN71-0145-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 18 lakes in Sherburne County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Julia Lake holds Grade D. 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 Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Julia Lake
What is the water quality grade for Julia Lake?
- Julia Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 78 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 154.48 acres.
Is Julia Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Julia Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 28.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Julia Lake?
- Julia Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 209 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Julia Lake?
- Julia Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 8.2 feet. The lake covers 154.48 acres.
What fish are in Julia Lake?
- Fish species found in Julia Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Julia Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
When does Julia Lake thaw?
- Julia Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Are there boat ramps on Julia Lake?
- Julia Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Julia Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Julia Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
74 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA74 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by 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