Kraemer Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota195 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Kraemer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 30 ft max depth
Kraemer Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 195.03 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Kraemer Lake. DNR survey details →
Kraemer Lake is a 195-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet (13-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Kraemer Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Kraemer Lake covers about 200 acres in Stearns County. The median ice-out date is April 12, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Kraemer Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Kraemer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 12
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Kraemer 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 Kraemer Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Kraemer 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 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.6 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.6µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Kraemer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Kraemer Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 76°F) and coldest in Jun (about 72°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (72°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kraemer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Kraemer Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kraemer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 39.39 | 3–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 20.22 | 4–9 in 2022-07-11 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 13.21 | 11 in 2022-07-11 | 0.66 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.91 | 7–19 in 2022-07-11 | 1.62 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 9.40 | 4–14 in 2022-07-11 | 0.53 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.78 | 12–34 in 2022-07-11 | 2.19 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
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Kraemer Lake is 194-acre recreational development lake located two miles southwest of St. Joseph in eastern Stearns County. An access on the east side of the lake belongs to the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club and use of the access is limited to members only. Most development has occurred along the north and east sides of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kraemer Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KraemerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Average depth
13 ft
Surface area
195 acres
Shoreline
2.5 mi
Littoral zone
54%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
24 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,096 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Kraemer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kraemer Lake in Stearns 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Kraemer 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 →
Follow Kraemer Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kraemer Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.05 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 12
Earliest Mar 22, 2016 · Latest Apr 20, 2019
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 15, 2018 · Latest Dec 21, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 7
2020
8 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Kraemer Lake
Where is Kraemer Lake?
- Kraemer Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Kraemer Lake?
- Kraemer Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 195.03 acres.
Is Kraemer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Kraemer Lake?
- Kraemer Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kraemer Lake?
- Kraemer Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 195.03 acres.
What fish are in Kraemer Lake?
- Fish species found in Kraemer Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Kraemer Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Kraemer Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Kraemer Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Kraemer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Kraemer Lake thaw?
- Kraemer Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
Can I fish at Kraemer Lake?
- Public access to Kraemer Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Kraemer Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
131 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
MNPCA131 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate