Lee Lake
Dakota County, Minnesota21 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lee Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 14 ft max depth
- Limited data
Lee Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 21.19 acres.
Lee Lake is a 21-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dakota County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Dakota County, Lee Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Lee Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 1
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Lee 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 Lee Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lee Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 39µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 16µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lee Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lee Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lee Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
14 ft
Surface area
21 acres
Shoreline
1.1 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lee Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lee Lake in Dakota 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lee Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lee Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Lee Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2022–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.6 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 1
Earliest Feb 27, 2024 · Latest Apr 12, 2023
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 11, 2014 · Latest Dec 8, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Feb 27
2024
22 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Lee Lake
Where is Lee Lake?
- Lee Lake is a lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lee Lake?
- Lee Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 21.19 acres.
Is Lee 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 Lee Lake?
- Lee Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lee Lake?
- Lee Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 21.19 acres.
When does Lee Lake thaw?
- Lee Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 1. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Can I fish at Lee Lake?
- Public access to Lee 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 Lee Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Dakota County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA52 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate