Little Stanchfield Lake
Little Stanchfield Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Max depth
- 12 ft
- Area
- 146 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Little Stanchfield Lake →
Next lake in Isanti County
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). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 122 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 25.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 122 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 25.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Little Stanchfield Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Stanchfield Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 12 ft |
| Average Depth | 3.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 146 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Highway 14 BridgePublic
- Little Stanchfield LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Stanchfield Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 22.64 | 0.43 lb |
| Black Crappie | 14.08 | 0.31 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.88 | 2.65 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.05 | 0.26 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.52 | — |
| White Sucker | 6.32 | 1.42 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.
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
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 17 lakes in Isanti County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Stanchfield Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Isanti County
Frequently asked questions about Little Stanchfield Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Little Stanchfield Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 25.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
Are there boat ramps on Little Stanchfield Lake?
- Little Stanchfield Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Highway 14 Bridge, Little Stanchfield Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Stanchfield Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
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 grade
Lakes in the Rum River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
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