Keller Lake
Keller Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 73.32 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 8 ft
- Area
- 73 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Keller Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Keller Lake is a 73-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 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 hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Keller Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. 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)
Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 15.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 15.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Keller Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Keller 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 Keller Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Keller Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Keller Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Jan (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 271 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Keller Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 73 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Keller LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Keller 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2007-07-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 101.19 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 31.94 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 18.03 | 0.47 lb |
| GOS | 6.99 | 0.14 lb |
| White Crappie | 6.70 | 0.33 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 4.85 | 0.12 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
Black Bullhead
GOS
From the 2007-07-16 survey
Keller Lakes fish population is dominated by bluegills. They made up over 90% of the trap net catch. The average length was 5.7 inches. Over 40% of the bluegills measured were 6 inches or larger, but only 1% were larger than 7 inches. Black crappies were found in low abundance and small size. Hybrid (tiger)…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Keller Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Keller (Main Bay)Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Keller (Main Bay)Public 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 | -0.084 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.54 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.53 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Keller Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Keller Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Keller Creek; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 50 ft long.
- Surface area
- 72 ac
- Normal storage
- 246 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 450 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 52 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- RWMWD
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00398 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Keller Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0010-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #36 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Keller 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 Keller Lake
What is the water quality grade for Keller Lake?
- Keller Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 15.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 73.32 acres.
Is Keller 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. Keller Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 15.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Keller Lake?
- Keller Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 271 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Keller Lake?
- Keller Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 73.32 acres.
What fish are in Keller Lake?
- Fish species found in Keller Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, tiger muskellunge, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Keller Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Keller Lake?
- Keller Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Keller Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Keller Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
343 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
MNPCA343 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, Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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