Krays Lake
Krays Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 95.08 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 95 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Krays Lake →
Next lake in Stearns County
Krays Lake is a 95-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet (7-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and channel catfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Krays Lake ranks #18 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 150 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Krays Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Krays 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Krays Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Krays Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Krays Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Krays Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Average Depth | 7 ft |
| Surface Area | 95 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 86% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Krays 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 24.71 | 0.3 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.91 | 0.88 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.16 | 0.16 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 9.26 | 1.94 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.96 | 0.73 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.06 | 0.26 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.
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Channel Catfish
From the 2024-07-30 survey
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL) is located in south-central Stearns County, near the city of Richmond. A dam built in the early 1900's on the Sauk River in Cold Spring created the SRCL a reservoir consisting of nine lakes and approximately 3,200 acres of water. The Sauk River drains a large portion of central…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Krays Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KraysFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.268 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +33.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +22.45 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Krays 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 MN73-0087-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Krays Lake
What is the water quality grade for Krays Lake?
- Krays Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 95.08 acres.
Is Krays 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. Krays Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 21 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Krays Lake?
- Krays Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 76 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Krays Lake?
- Krays Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and an average depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 95.08 acres.
What fish are in Krays Lake?
- Fish species found in Krays Lake include black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, greater redhorse, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Krays Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Explore Krays Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
70 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
MNPCA70 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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