Lawrence Lake
Cass County, Minnesota225 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lawrence Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 71 ft max depth
- Public access
Lawrence Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2023 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Lawrence Lake. DNR survey details →
Lawrence Lake is a 225-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 71 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lawrence Lake covers about 220 acres in Cass County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 19, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lawrence Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lawrence Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water71 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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. Lawrence Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lawrence 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 Lawrence Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lawrence 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 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.8 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lawrence Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lawrence Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (76°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2023 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Lawrence Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lawrence Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-13 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-13 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.32 | 3–8 in 2023-06-13 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.76 | 5–16 in 2023-06-13 | 0.75 lb |
| Bowfin | 5.31 | 20–26 in 2023-06-13 | 4.92 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.02 | 5 in 2023-06-13 | 0.1 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
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
Lake Details
Max depth
71 ft
Surface area
225 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Littoral zone
39%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
25 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,270 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lawrence LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Lawrence 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.64 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.16 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Apr 18, 2002 · Latest Apr 24, 2019
Most recent ice-out
Apr 18
2020
3 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0053-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Lawrence Lake
Where is Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lawrence Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lawrence Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2023 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Lawrence Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lawrence Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Lawrence Lake?
- Lawrence Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Lawrence Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Lawrence Lake
Other 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)
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
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