Marie Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota146 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Marie Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Marie Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 75 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 145.82 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2019 caught 32.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Marie Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. DNR survey details →
Marie Lake is a 146-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet (7-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Marie Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Marie Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Marie Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Marie Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Marie Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Marie Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.1 ft. Phosphorus 75 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 42.1 µg/L. TSI 62.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 75µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 42.1µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 62 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Marie Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Marie Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 379 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2019 caught 32.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Marie Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Marie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-08 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2019-07-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 36.25 | 3–8 in 2019-06-17 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 28.13 | 10–12 in 2019-06-17 | 0.53 lb |
| Black Crappie | 26.89 | 6–9 in 2019-06-17 | 0.24 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.68 | 5–19 in 2019-06-17 | 1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.13 | 5–7 in 2019-06-17 | 0.17 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.72 | 15–19 in 2019-06-17 | 2.2 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2019-07-08 survey
A survey of nearshore fish species was conducted on Marie Lake from July 8 - 11, 2019 by Sauk Rapids Area staff. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the shoreline and each site was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining, except one site where dense vegetation prevented seining. Nearshore sampling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Marie Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MarieFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MariePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Average depth
7.2 ft
Surface area
146 acres
Shoreline
3.8 mi
Littoral zone
74%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Marie Lake, Fairhaven Dam MillpondPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Marie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marie 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Marie Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Marie Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Marie 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+9.96 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.43 µg/L/yr6 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Marie Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fairhaven (completed 1974), built primarily for recreation on the Clearwater River; gravity-type dam, 25 ft tall and 90 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 516 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 645 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 94 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Stearns;County of Wright
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00406 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.92 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Marie Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0014-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Marie Lake
Where is Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 75 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 42.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 145.82 acres.
Is Marie Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Marie Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 379 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 7.2 feet. The lake covers 145.82 acres.
What fish are in Marie Lake?
- Fish species found in Marie 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. Marie Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Marie Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2019 caught 32.43 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Marie Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Marie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Marie Lake, Fairhaven Dam Millpond. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Marie Lake?
- Marie Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Marie Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA104 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 (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory