Limestone Lake
Limestone Lake in Wright County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 233.86 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 80°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 234 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Wright County
Why Limestone 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 Limestone 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.
Limestone Lake is a 234-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-04. 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 Limestone Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Limestone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Limestone Lake in Wright 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 Limestone Lake
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Water Temperature
Limestone Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 79°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 39 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Limestone Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Average Depth | 12.3 ft |
| Surface Area | 234 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Limestone LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Limestone 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 41.25 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 30.00 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 11.32 | 0.64 lb |
| BKF | 9.06 | — |
| Northern Pike | 9.00 | 1.53 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.36 | 0.96 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.
Bluegill
Bluntnose Minnow
Yellow Bass
BKF
From the 2017-07-19 survey
A survey of near shore fish species was conducted on Limestone Lake from July 19th - 21st, 2017by the Sauk Rapids Area Fisheries Office. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining, except seven sites where deep water or dense vegetation…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Limestone Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LimestoneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Limestone (1939)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LimestonePublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.154 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.56 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Limestone 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 MN86-0140-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.89 km)
Graded lakes near Limestone Lake
Limestone Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Limestone Lake
What is the water quality grade for Limestone Lake?
- Limestone Lake in Wright County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 233.86 acres.
Is Limestone Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Limestone 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 Limestone Lake?
- Limestone Lake typically sits around 80°F at the surface in August, from 39 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Limestone Lake?
- Limestone Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 12.3 feet. The lake covers 233.86 acres.
What fish are in Limestone Lake?
- Fish species found in Limestone Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Limestone Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Limestone Lake?
- Limestone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Limestone Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Limestone Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA71 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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