Miller Lake
Carver County, Minnesota143 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Miller Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 14 ft max depth
Miller Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 14, 2006 caught 2.33 northern pike per gill net at Miller Lake. DNR survey details →
Miller Lake is a 143-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Miller Lake covers about 140 acres in Carver County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Miller Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Miller Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing11 species recorded
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. Miller Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Miller 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 Miller Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Miller Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 211 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 108 µg/L. TSI 76.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 211µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 108µg/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. | 76 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Miller Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Miller Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (76°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 14, 2006 caught 2.33 northern pike per gill net at Miller Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Miller Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-08-14 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2006-08-14 (Standard Survey)
20 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 43.36 | 4–8 in 2006-08-14 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 38.47 | 5–9 in 2006-08-14 | 0.2 lb |
| Common Carp | 16.79 | 9–19 in 2006-08-14 | 1.27 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 14.22 | 21 in 2006-08-14 | 2.81 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.70 | 3–7 in 2006-08-14 | 0.1 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 7.17 | 3–19 in 2006-08-14 | 0.67 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
14 ft
Surface area
143 acres
Shoreline
2.1 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
59 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
909 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Miller Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Miller 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 →
Follow Miller Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+16.56 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+3.04 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0029-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Miller Lake
Where is Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake is a lake in Carver County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Miller Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Miller Lake?
- Miller Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Miller Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 14, 2006 caught 2.33 northern pike per gill net at Miller Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Miller Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Miller Lake?
- Public access to Miller 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 Miller Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carver County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Miller Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder