Laura Lake
Laura Lake in Redwood County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 22.24 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 22 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Redwood County
Why Laura Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Laura Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Laura Lake is a 22-acre lake in Redwood County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Laura Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Laura Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Laura Lake in Redwood 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.
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Water Temperature
Laura Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Laura Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Laura Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2012-08-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 40.84 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.04 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 17.01 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.44 | 0.23 lb |
| White Sucker | 8.13 | 0.98 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.08 | 0.62 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 Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2012-08-27 survey
INTRODUCTION Laura Lake is a 22-acre reservoir 1 mile southwest of Walnut Grove in Redwood County. The reservoir has a maximum depth of 21 feet, a shoreline length of 1.8 miles, and is a DNR class 33 lake based on physical and chemical characteristics. Laura Lake has shoreline access through a Redwood County Park.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Laura Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LauraFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LauraFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LauraPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Laura Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Walnut Grove (completed 1979), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Plum Creek-TR; earth-type dam, 57 ft tall and 1,275 ft long.
- Surface area
- 22 ac
- Normal storage
- 231 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,288 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- County of Redwood
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00728 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.25 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Laura Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Walnut GroveWalnut Grove · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MN0021776
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Laura Lake
Laura Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Redwood County
Frequently asked questions about Laura Lake
What is the water quality grade for Laura Lake?
- Laura Lake in Redwood County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 22.24 acres.
Is Laura Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Laura Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Laura Lake?
- Laura Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Laura Lake?
- Laura Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 22.24 acres.
What fish are in Laura Lake?
- Fish species found in Laura Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Laura Lake is located in Redwood County, Minnesota.
Explore Laura Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
288 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA288 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder