Lawrence Lake
Lawrence Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 224.91 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 64°F
- Max depth
- 71 ft
- Area
- 225 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
Next lake in Cass County
Lawrence Lake is a 225-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 71 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Lawrence Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lawrence Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lawrence Lake in Cass 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
Lawrence Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 133 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lawrence Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 71 ft |
| Surface Area | 225 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lawrence LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lawrence 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: 2023-06-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.32 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.76 | 0.75 lb |
| BKF | 6.92 | — |
| Bowfin | 5.31 | 4.92 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.02 | 0.1 lb |
| CNM | 4.79 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Bowfin
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-06-13 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lawrence Lake was conducted on June 13-15, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lawrence Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LawrenceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lawrence (1484)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LawrencePublic 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 | -0.103 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.64 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2002-04-18 (2002) | 2019-04-24 (2019) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-18
EPA Impairment Status
Lawrence 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 MN11-0053-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 71 ft. Surface area: 224.91 acres.
Is Lawrence Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Lawrence Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August, from 133 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake has a maximum depth of 71 feet. The lake covers 224.91 acres.
What fish are in Lawrence Lake?
- Fish species found in Lawrence Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lawrence Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Lawrence Lake thaw?
- Lawrence Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19.
Are there boat ramps on Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lawrence Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lawrence Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Lawrence Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
180 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
MNPCA180 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate