Minnewaska Lake
Minnewaska Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 8050.27 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 8,050 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 227 days
Next lake in Pope County
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). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Average Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 8,050 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 19.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minnewaska Lake (Northeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.73 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 26.83 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 21.69 | 0.94 lb |
| BKF | 17.84 | — |
| JND | 14.89 | — |
| Fathead Minnow | 11.51 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-05-09 survey
A targeted survey was completed in the spring of 2023 on Lake Minnewaska to assess the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. A special regulation that reduced the daily sunfish limit from 20 down to 10 was also implemented in the spring of 2022. The goal of this new regulation is to maintain or increase the average…
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.365 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (329 observations).
Estimated open water season: 227 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-13 (2024) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-14 (2014) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-04-03
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0130-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Minnewaska Lake
What is the water quality grade for Minnewaska Lake?
- Minnewaska Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Minnewaska Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minnewaska Lake (Northeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Minnewaska Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Minnewaska Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Minnewaska Lake With Nearby Lakes
Pope County · Grade D
Pope County · Grade C
Pope County · Grade C
Pope County · Grade D
Pope County · Grade C
Pope County · Grade C
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)
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