Long Lake
Long Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 29.79 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 30 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Stearns County
Long Lake is a 30-acre mesotrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black bullhead, green sunfish, and hybrid sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Long Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Long Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Long Lake in Stearns 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Average Depth | 7.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 30 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 90% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Long Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-06-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 107.38 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 39.20 | 0.1 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 36.92 | 0.21 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 15.80 | 0.07 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 15.63 | 0.06 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.63 | 3.52 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
Green Sunfish
Hybrid Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
From the 2008-06-09 survey
Fuller Lake is located one mile northwest of Clearwater. It is small, 35 acres, and relatively deep, 28 feet, but subject to winter kill. Although Fuller Lake has no public access, it is of interest because of its location and status as a natural environment lake. This was the first survey since the initial lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Long Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FullerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fuller (0286)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.076 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -13.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Long Lake
What is the water quality grade for Long Lake?
- Long Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 29.79 acres.
Is Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Long Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Long Lake?
- Long Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and an average depth of 7.7 feet. The lake covers 29.79 acres.
What fish are in Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Long Lake include black bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed. Long Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Explore Long Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
212 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA212 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder