Louisa Lake
Louisa Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 192.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 44 ft
- Area
- 193 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Louisa Lake →
Next lake in Stearns County
Louisa Lake is a 193-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Louisa Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. 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 5.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 65 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.9 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Louisa Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Louisa 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Louisa Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Louisa Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Louisa Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 60°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 455 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Louisa Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 44 ft |
| Average Depth | 10.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 193 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Louisa 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-07-20 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 48.49 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 23.20 | 0.63 lb |
| BKS | 21.36 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.05 | 1.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.62 | 0.26 lb |
| JND | 5.58 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2020-07-20 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Louisa Lake was conducted beginning on July 20th, 2020 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Louisa Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LouisaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LouisaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.884 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +12.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.53 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Louisa Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0282-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Louisa 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 Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Louisa Lake
What is the water quality grade for Louisa Lake?
- Louisa Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 192.7 acres.
Is Louisa 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. Louisa Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Louisa Lake?
- Louisa Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 455 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Louisa Lake?
- Louisa Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet and an average depth of 10.5 feet. The lake covers 192.7 acres.
What fish are in Louisa Lake?
- Fish species found in Louisa Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Louisa Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Explore Louisa Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
78 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA78 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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