Minnewaska Lake
Pope County, Minnesota8,050 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Minnewaska Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
Minnewaska Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 8050.27 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 9, 2025 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Minnewaska Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Minnewaska Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Minnewaska Lake is a 8,050-acre mesotrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet (17-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Minnewaska Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 8,100 acres, Minnewaska Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 15, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Minnewaska Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Minnewaska Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing21 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water8,050 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Minnewaska Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Minnewaska 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 Minnewaska Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Minnewaska Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 24µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Minnewaska Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 9, 2025 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Minnewaska Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Minnewaska Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-09 (Targeted Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.10 | 4–9 in 2025-06-09 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 26.21 | 5–10 in 2025-06-09 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 21.10 | 7–17 in 2025-06-09 | 0.95 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 11.51 |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-06-09 survey
Lake Minnewaska is an 8,050-acre basin located in central Pope County between the towns of Glenwood and Starbuck. For its size, Minnewaska is relatively shallow. Maximum depth is just 32 feet. Residential development surrounds the entire lake. Lake Minnewaska outflows to Lake Emily via Outlet Creek and lies within the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Minnewaska Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MinnewaskaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MinnewaskaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MinnewaskaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
32 ft
Average depth
17 ft
Surface area
8,050 acres
Shoreline
19.9 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
87 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,125 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minnewaska Lake (North)Public
- Minnewaska Lake (Northeast)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Minnewaska Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minnewaska Lake in Pope 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 Minnewaska 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Minnewaska Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Minnewaska Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Minnewaska 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 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 13, 2024 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 14, 2014 · Latest Dec 19, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 3
2026
329 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Minnewaska 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: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0130-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Minnewaska Lake
Where is Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 8050.27 acres.
Is Minnewaska Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Minnewaska Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 8050.27 acres.
What fish are in Minnewaska Lake?
- Fish species found in Minnewaska Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, sunfish, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Minnewaska Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 9, 2025 caught 5.67 walleye per gill net at Minnewaska Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Minnewaska Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Minnewaska Lake thaw?
- Minnewaska Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 227 days.
Are there boat ramps on Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minnewaska Lake (North), Minnewaska Lake (Northeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Minnewaska Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Minnewaska Lake With Nearby Lakes
Pope County · 5.2 ft
Pope County · 8 ft
Pope County · 7.5 ft
Pope County · 2 ft
Pope County · 5.1 ft
Pope County · 9.2 ft
Where this data comes from
229 measurements from 5 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
MNPCA229 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 (5)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate