Little Rice Lake
Little Rice Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 34 µg/L.
- Mean depth
- ~11 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Little Rice Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 11 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 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 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Little Rice Lake ranks #61 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Little Rice Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 34 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | 34 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Little Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Rice Lake in St. Louis 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 Little Rice Lake
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Little Rice Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Pfeiffer LakePublic
Fishing Little Rice Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Rice Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Rice (0276)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -9 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #61 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Rice Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Little Rice Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 34 µg/L.
Is Little Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Little Rice Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Little Rice Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Little Rice Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 11 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Little Rice Lake?
- Little Rice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pfeiffer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Rice Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Rice Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA6 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory