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LakeQuality
B

Kelly Lake

Rice County, MinnesotaMesotrophic

Kelly Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

The lake sits in the mesotrophic zone — the band where most well-managed Minnesota lakes fall. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Kelly Lake ranks 1 of 12 in Rice County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

No invasive species are currently listed at Kelly Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Kelly Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. A documented public access point at Kelly Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 13 observed ice-outs, centered near Mar 29. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Water Quality Grade: B, Good

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 29 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)8.2 ftC
Phosphorus29 µg/LB
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)50Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Water Quality Trend: Declining

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Phosphorus Declining+4.5 µg/L/yr2

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (22 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Mar 29
Typical Ice-In
Dec 2

Estimated open water season: 248 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2024-03-01 (2024)2018-04-29 (2018)
Ice-In2022-11-20 (2022)2015-12-19 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-26

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #1 of 12 lakes in Rice County

Nearby Lakes in Rice County

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kelly Lake. 2 reports on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2023-08-29

Monitoring stations: 1