Miller Lake
Miller Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 211 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 108 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 142.5 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 143 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Miller Lake →
Next lake in Carver County
Miller Lake is a 143-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Miller Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 211 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 108 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 76.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 211 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 108 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 76 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Miller Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Miller Lake in Carver 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 Miller Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Miller Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Miller Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 331 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Miller Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 143 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Miller 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 43.36 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 38.47 | 0.2 lb |
| Common Carp | 16.79 | 1.27 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 14.22 | 2.81 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.70 | 0.1 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 7.17 | 0.67 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
Black Bullhead
Common Carp
Bigmouth Buffalo
From the 2006-08-14 survey
Miller Lake (10-0029) is a 140-acre, class 43 lake, located near Dahlgren in Carver County. Carver Creek connects Miller Lake with the Minnesota River. The sportfish community consists of black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch. Additionally, Miller Lake is surrounded by private land…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Miller Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MillerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.038 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +16.56 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Miller Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0029-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #29 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Miller Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Miller Lake
What is the water quality grade for Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 211 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 108 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 142.5 acres.
Is Miller Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Miller Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 108 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 331 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 142.5 acres.
What fish are in Miller Lake?
- Fish species found in Miller Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, freshwater drum, largemouth bass, northern pike, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Miller Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
Explore Miller Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
192 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA192 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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