Mccormic Lake
Stearns County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mccormic Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mccormic Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44 µg/L.
Mccormic Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 43 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Mccormic Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mccormic Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
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. Mccormic Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mccormic 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 Mccormic Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mccormic Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. Phosphorus 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 44 µg/L. TSI 66.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. | |
| Total phosphorus | 67µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 44µg/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. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Mccormic Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mccormic Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 46 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mccormic Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mccormic Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Aquatic Plant Report — McCormic (1982)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — McCormicPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
~43 ft est.
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Mccormic Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
193 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
2.9 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,250 ft
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
- McCormic LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mccormic Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mccormic 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 Mccormic Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Mccormic 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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Fishing Mccormic Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Mccormic 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 MN73-0273-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Mccormic Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Sauk Centre WwtpSauk Centre · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MN0024821
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.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Mccormic Lake
Where is Mccormic Lake?
- Mccormic 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 Mccormic Lake?
- Mccormic Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 44 µg/L.
Is Mccormic Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mccormic 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 Mccormic Lake?
- Mccormic Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 46 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mccormic Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Mccormic Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 43 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Mccormic Lake?
- Mccormic Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include McCormic Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Mccormic Lake?
- Mccormic 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 Mccormic Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA16 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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