Long Meadow Lake
Long Meadow Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Surface area: 530 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Mean depth
- ~17 ft est.
- Area
- 530 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Hennepin County
Why Long Meadow Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Long Meadow Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Long Meadow Lake is a 530-acre lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 17 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Long Meadow Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Long Meadow Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Long Meadow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Long Meadow Lake in Hennepin 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Long Meadow 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~17 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 530 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Long Meadow Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Cedar Avenue (Highway 77 Bridge)Public
- Interstate 35 BridgePublic
Fishing Long Meadow Lake
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Long Meadow Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Black Dog Lake (completed 1953), built primarily for water supply on the Minnesota River-TR; gravity-type dam, 25 ft tall and 120 ft long.
- Surface area
- 530 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,618 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,550 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Xcel Energy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00349 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.83 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Long Meadow Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Xcel - Black Dog Generating PlantBurnsville · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0000876MajorRecent violation
- Skywater Technology FoundryBloomington · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MN0056723Recent violation
- Ford Motor Co. - Twin CitiesSaint Paul · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MN0002178
- Polar Semiconductor LlcBloomington · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0064661
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.
Graded lakes near Long Meadow Lake
Long Meadow Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Long Meadow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Long Meadow Lake?
- Long Meadow Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Surface area: 530 acres.
Is Long Meadow Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Long Meadow Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Long Meadow Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Long Meadow Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 17 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 530 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Long Meadow Lake?
- Long Meadow Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Avenue (Highway 77 Bridge), Interstate 35 Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Long Meadow 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 Hennepin 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
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Long Meadow Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA3 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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