Locke Lake
Wright County, Minnesota140 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Locke Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 49 ft max depth
- Public access
Locke Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 139.97 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2025 caught 1.19 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Locke Lake. DNR survey details →
Locke Lake is a 140-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 49 feet (18-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 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, Locke Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Locke Lake covers about 140 acres in Wright County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 8, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Locke Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Locke Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 8
- Deep water49 ft surveyed max depth
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. Locke Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Locke 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 Locke Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Locke 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 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.8 µg/L. TSI 57.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 35µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 17.8µg/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. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Locke Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Locke Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Locke Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2025 caught 1.19 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Locke Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Locke Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-08 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 41.51 | 7–13 in 2016-06-13 | 0.43 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.04 | 5–7 in 2021-06-21 | 0.23 lb |
| Walleye | 16.11 | 8–16 in 2025-10-08 | 1.36 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 12.22 | 11–13 in 2021-06-21 | 1.33 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.14 | 4–21 in 2016-06-13 | 1.94 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
Bluegill
Walleye
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2025-10-08 survey
Locke Lake is a 156-acre general development lake located one mile southeast of Hasty in northern Wright County. The watershed is large (32,365 acres) and the primary land uses are cultivated crops (43%), forest (16%), and hay/pasture (11%). A downstream barrier on Silver Creek isolates Locke Lake from the Mississippi…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Locke Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LockeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LockeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LockePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
49 ft
Average depth
18.1 ft
Surface area
140 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
48%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
61 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
948 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Locke 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 Locke Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Locke 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Locke Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Locke Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Locke 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+7.71 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+5.72 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 8
Earliest Mar 7, 2024 · Latest May 1, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 8
Earliest Nov 15, 2014 · Latest Jan 11, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 7
2024
48 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Locke 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: Aquatic life, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0168-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Locke Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Xcel - Sherburne Generating PlantBecker · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MN0002186MajorRecent violation
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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Locke Lake
Where is Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 139.97 acres.
Is Locke Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Locke Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and an average depth of 18.1 feet. The lake covers 139.97 acres.
What fish are in Locke Lake?
- Fish species found in Locke Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Locke Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Locke Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2025 caught 1.19 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at Locke Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Locke Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Locke Lake thaw?
- Locke Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Dec 8. The open water season is approximately 244 days.
Are there boat ramps on Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Locke Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Locke Lake?
- Locke 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 Locke Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
97 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA97 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate