Little Horseshoe Lake
Little Horseshoe Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 48.78 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 49 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Chisago County
Little Horseshoe Lake is a 49-acre mesotrophic lake in Chisago County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet (15-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Chisago County, Little Horseshoe Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 7.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Horseshoe Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Horseshoe Lake in Chisago 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
Little Horseshoe Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Horseshoe Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Average Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Horseshoe LakePublic
Fishing Little Horseshoe 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
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-08-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 25.48 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 2.64 | 0.48 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.46 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.21 | 0.18 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.67 | 0.11 lb |
| GOS | 1.50 | 0.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1990-08-15 survey
IN AUGUST, 1990, A LAKE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED ON LITTLE HORSESHOE LAKE. TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE FISH POPULATIONS, THREE GILLNETS AND THREE TRAPNETS WERE SET. NO SHORELINE STATIONS WERE SEINED DUE TO THE ABSENCE OF READILY SEINABLE AREAS (EXTREMELY DENSE WEED GROWTH ALONG ENTIRE LAKE PERIMETER.) BASED ON THE…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Horseshoe Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little HorseshoeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Horseshoe (1932)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little HorseshoePublic 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 | → Stable | +0.019 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.59 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.41 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Horseshoe Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN13-0073-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.05 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 30 lakes in Chisago County
Nearby Lakes in Chisago County
Frequently asked questions about Little Horseshoe Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Horseshoe Lake?
- Little Horseshoe Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 48.78 acres.
Is Little Horseshoe Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Little Horseshoe Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Horseshoe Lake?
- Little Horseshoe Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Horseshoe Lake?
- Little Horseshoe Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 48.78 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Little Horseshoe Lake?
- Little Horseshoe Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Horseshoe Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA63 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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