Mckusick Lake
Mckusick Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 48.67 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- ~34 ft est.
- Area
- 49 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
- Open water
- 236 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Mckusick Lake →
Next lake in Washington County
Mckusick Lake is a 49-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 34 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2024. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Mckusick Lake ranks #61 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 10.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 41 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Mckusick Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mckusick 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Mckusick Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Mckusick Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Mckusick Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Apr (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 173 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mckusick Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~34 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Mckusick Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
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
- Twin SpringsPublic
- St. Croix River BoomsitePublic
- Wolf MarinaSemi-private
- Ole Sawmill MarinaSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mckusick Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.052 m/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (17 observations).
Estimated open water season: 236 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-22 (2017) | 2008-04-21 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-15 (2002) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-03-22
EPA Impairment Status
Mckusick 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 MN82-0023-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.39 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #61 of 75 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Mckusick Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Mckusick Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mckusick Lake?
- Mckusick Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.1 µg/L. Surface area: 48.67 acres.
Is Mckusick 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. Mckusick Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 10.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Mckusick Lake?
- Mckusick Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 173 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mckusick Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Mckusick Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 34 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 48.67 acres.
What fish are in Mckusick Lake?
- Fish species found in Mckusick Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Mckusick Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
When does Mckusick Lake thaw?
- Mckusick Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
Are there boat ramps on Mckusick Lake?
- Mckusick Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Twin Springs, St. Croix River Boomsite, Wolf Marina, Ole Sawmill Marina. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Mckusick Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
56 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA56 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate