Mcdonald Lake
Washington County, Minnesota45 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mcdonald Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 28 ft max depth
- Limited data
Mcdonald Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 45.45 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 2, 1991 caught 25.00 walleye per gill net at Mcdonald Lake. DNR survey details →
Mcdonald Lake is a 45-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Mcdonald Lake ranks #52 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mcdonald 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 Mcdonald Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mcdonald 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 ft. Phosphorus 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 26 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 83µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 26µg/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. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Mcdonald Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mcdonald Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 76°F) and coldest in May (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 (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mcdonald Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 2, 1991 caught 25.00 walleye per gill net at Mcdonald Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mcdonald Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1991-07-02 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1991-07-02 (Standard Survey)
35 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 55.00 | 0.7 lb | |
| Bluegill | 29.70 | 0.26 lb | |
| Walleye | 13.00 | 2.27 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 1.10 | 8.82 lb | |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.00 | 1.5 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.
From the 1991-07-02 survey
CATCH RATES FOR WAE, BLG, LMB, AND BLB WERE ABOVE LOCAL AND STATE-WIDE VALUES. CATCH RATES FOR NOP WERE BELOW LOCAL AND STATE-WIDE MEDIAN VALUES.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mcdonald Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CloverdaleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
28 ft
Surface area
45 acres
Shoreline
1.3 mi
Littoral zone
66%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
892 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mcdonald Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mcdonald Lake in Washington 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 Mcdonald Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Mcdonald 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 Mcdonald Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+14 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Mcdonald Lake
Where is Mcdonald Lake?
- Mcdonald Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mcdonald Lake?
- Mcdonald Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 83 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 45.45 acres.
Is Mcdonald Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mcdonald Lake?
- Mcdonald Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mcdonald Lake?
- Mcdonald Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 45.45 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mcdonald Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 2, 1991 caught 25.00 walleye per gill net at Mcdonald Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mcdonald Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Mcdonald Lake?
- Public access to Mcdonald Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Mcdonald Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
62 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA62 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder