Little Stanchfield Lake
Isanti County, Minnesota146 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Stanchfield Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 12 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Stanchfield Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 122 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 145.93 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 0.25 walleye per gill net at Little Stanchfield Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Stanchfield Lake is a 146-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Isanti County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet (4-foot average). The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Isanti County, Little Stanchfield Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Stanchfield Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Little Stanchfield Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Stanchfield 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 Little Stanchfield Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Stanchfield 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 122 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 25.4 µg/L. TSI 65.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 122µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 25.4µg/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. | 65 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Stanchfield Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 0.25 walleye per gill net at Little Stanchfield Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Stanchfield Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 22.64 | 10 in 2024-07-15 | 0.43 lb |
| Black Crappie | 14.08 | 4–11 in 2024-07-15 | 0.31 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.88 | 7–20 in 2024-07-15 | 2.65 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.05 | 2–8 in 2024-07-15 | 0.26 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.52 | ||
| White Sucker | 6.32 | 11–19 in 2024-07-15 | 1.42 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2024-07-15 survey
Little Stanchfield Lake is a 138-acre lake in northeastern Isanti County located four miles north of Cambridge, MN, and is within the Rum River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 4 feet. The lake is 100% littoral (15 feet or less). The color of the water is brown (bog stain) and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Stanchfield 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 StanchfieldFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Stanchfield (1845)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little StanchfieldPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
12 ft
Average depth
3.8 ft
Surface area
146 acres
Shoreline
2.3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
71 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
892 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Stanchfield 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 Little Stanchfield Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Stanchfield Lake in Isanti 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 Little Stanchfield Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Stanchfield 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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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Stanchfield Lake
- → Little Stanchfield Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Stanchfield Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Stanchfield Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Stanchfield Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
EPA Impairment Status
Little Stanchfield 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: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN30-0044-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Stanchfield Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Great River Energy - CambridgeCambridge · 2.9 mi away · NPDES MN0068098
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Isanti County
Frequently asked questions about Little Stanchfield Lake
Where is Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake is a lake in Isanti County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 122 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 25.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 145.93 acres.
Is Little Stanchfield Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Stanchfield Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 3.8 feet. The lake covers 145.93 acres.
What fish are in Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Stanchfield Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Stanchfield Lake is located in Isanti County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 0.25 walleye per gill net at Little Stanchfield Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Stanchfield Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Stanchfield Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield 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 Little Stanchfield Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Isanti 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
15 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
MNPCA15 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory