Little Waverly Lake
Little Waverly Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 604 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 65 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 338.01 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 12 ft
- Area
- 338 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 30
- Open water
- 243 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Little Waverly Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Little Waverly Lake is a 338-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet (7-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Little Waverly Lake ranks #49 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Little Waverly Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 604 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 65 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 80.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 604 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 65 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 80 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Little Waverly Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Waverly 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Little Waverly Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Waverly 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 →
Water Temperature
Little Waverly Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 150 field readings (2017–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Waverly Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 12 ft |
| Average Depth | 6.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 338 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Waverly LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Waverly 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-09-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 27.56 | 1.81 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 25.91 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 23.85 | 0.63 lb |
| GOS | 21.74 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 16.92 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.34 | 0.12 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.
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Black Bullhead
GOS
From the 2024-09-03 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Little Waverly Lake, was conducted on September 3 - September 9, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Waverly Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little WaverlyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little WaverlyPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.193 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +24.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.25 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (17 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-13 (2016) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-10 (2014) | 2016-12-07 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2018-05-01
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Little Waverly Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Little Waverly Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Twelvemile Creek; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 81 ft long.
- Surface area
- 330 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,946 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,780 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 59.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00403 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Little Waverly 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 MN86-0106-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #49 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Waverly Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Little Waverly Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Waverly Lake?
- Little Waverly Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 604 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 65 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 338.01 acres.
Is Little Waverly Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Little Waverly Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 65 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Waverly Lake?
- Little Waverly Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 150 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Waverly Lake?
- Little Waverly Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 6.7 feet. The lake covers 338.01 acres.
What fish are in Little Waverly Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Waverly Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Waverly Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Little Waverly Lake thaw?
- Little Waverly Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 30. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Waverly Lake?
- Little Waverly Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Waverly Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Waverly Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Waverly Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
133 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA133 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate