Lory Lake
Lory Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 43 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 222.35 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 222 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Lory Lake →
Next lake in Isanti County
Lory Lake is a 222-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Isanti County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 16 other monitored lakes in Isanti County, Lory Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 43 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 10.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 43 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lory Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lory Lake in Isanti 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 Lory Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lory Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Lory 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 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lory Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 222 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 89% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lory LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lory Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 26.72 | 1.96 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.59 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 16.00 | 0.25 lb |
| SUN | 8.46 | — |
| GOS | 7.75 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.64 | 0.7 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
GOS
From the 2021-08-09 survey
Lory is a fertile, 212 acre lake in northern Isanti County. Lakeshore development and water clarity are fairly low. A public boat access is located on the west side of the lake with roadside parking. The lake is managed primarily for Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass. Fishing pressure is low to moderate in summer and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lory Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LoryFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lory (1839)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LoryPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.19 m/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lory Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lory Lake Structure 1 (completed 1962), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Ties Creek-TR; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 800 ft long.
- Surface area
- 341 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,100 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Wildlife
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00529 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.48 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Lory Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN33-0032-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.93 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 17 lakes in Isanti County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lory Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Isanti County
Frequently asked questions about Lory Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lory Lake?
- Lory Lake in Isanti County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 43 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 222.35 acres.
Is Lory 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. Lory Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 10.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lory Lake?
- Lory Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lory Lake?
- Lory Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 222.35 acres.
What fish are in Lory Lake?
- Fish species found in Lory Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lory Lake is located in Isanti County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Lory Lake?
- Lory Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lory Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lory 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 Isanti County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
25 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA25 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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