Mill Pond
Mill Pond in Scott County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 17.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 18 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 26
- Open water
- 248 days
Next lake in Scott County
Why Mill Pond has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Mill Pond, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Mill Pond is a 18-acre lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Mill Pond
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Mill Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mill Pond in Scott 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Mill Pond
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Mill Pond typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 17 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mill Pond water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 18 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 93% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Highway 9 BridgePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mill Pond
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 68.58 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 38.60 | 0.09 lb |
| White Crappie | 6.00 | 0.3 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.67 | 0.38 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.72 | 0.62 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 2.67 | 0.07 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Black Crappie
Bluegill
White Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2016-07-11 survey
Jordan Mill Pond is a 17-acre, Class 40 lake that is at the center of the community of Jordan, Minnesota. Some Mill Pond shoreline is in the city's Lagoon Park; the pond outlets into Sand Creek. This pond has been managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) program since 2001. It is stocked annually, or as…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mill Pond. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Mill PondFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Mill PondFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.067 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
Estimated open water season: 248 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-06 (2024) | 2023-04-12 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-26
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Mill Pond is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Jordan Mill Pond (completed 2000), built primarily for recreation on the Sand Creek; gravity-type dam, 28 ft tall and 80 ft long.
- Surface area
- 16 ac
- Normal storage
- 65 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.19 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- City of Jordan
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00535 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Mill Pond under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Jordan WwtpJordan · 0.2 mi away · NPDES MN0020869
- Jordan Gravel LlcJordan · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0070564
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.
Graded lakes near Mill Pond
Mill Pond has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Mill Pond
What is the water quality grade for Mill Pond?
- Mill Pond in Scott County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 17.72 acres.
Is Mill Pond safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Mill Pond is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Mill Pond?
- Mill Pond typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 17 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mill Pond?
- Mill Pond has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 17.72 acres.
What fish are in Mill Pond?
- Fish species found in Mill Pond include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mill Pond is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
When does Mill Pond thaw?
- Mill Pond typically has ice-out around Mar 26. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 248 days.
Are there boat ramps on Mill Pond?
- Mill Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Highway 9 Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Mill Pond across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA39 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate