Skip to main content
LakeQuality
B

Magda Lake

Hennepin County, MinnesotaEutrophic

Magda Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. The two scored sub-grades — clarity and phosphorus — track close together, so neither one is dragging the average down.

At a TSI of 51, Magda Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Magda Lake ranks 11 of 95 in Hennepin County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Magda Lake carries an invasive watermilfoil record — boat-launch decontamination and shoreline care matter more here than at uninfested lakes. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Magda Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. The lake has a partial ice record — 6 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 6. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

Track Magda Lake

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Water Quality Grade: B, Good

Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 59 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)14.1 ftB
Phosphorus59 µg/LC
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)51Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Eurasian watermilfoil

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.171 m/yr5
Phosphorus Improving-1.37 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 6
Typical Ice-In
Nov 30

Estimated open water season: 238 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2012-03-18 (2012)2013-04-27 (2013)
Ice-In2008-11-18 (2008)2015-12-23 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-10

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #11 of 95 lakes in Hennepin County

Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County

EPA Impairment Status

Magda Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0065-00 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2022-09-22

Monitoring stations: 1