Locke Lake
Locke Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 49 ft
- Area
- 140 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 244 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Locke Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
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). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 2 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
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 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 17.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Locke Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Locke Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Locke Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 49 ft |
| Average Depth | 18.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 140 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Snuffy's LandingPublic
- Locke LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 104.25 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 41.51 | 0.43 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.04 | 0.23 lb |
| Walleye | 16.11 | 1.36 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 12.22 | 1.33 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.14 | 1.94 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.
BKS
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Walleye
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.069 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +7.71 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.72 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (48 observations).
Estimated open water season: 244 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-07 (2024) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-15 (2014) | 2024-01-11 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-07
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #29 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Locke 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.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Locke Lake
What is the water quality grade for Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Locke Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 17.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Locke Lake?
- Locke Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Snuffy's Landing, Locke Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Locke Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate