Moose Lake
Moose Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 87.07 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 87 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 11
- Open water
- 229 days
Next lake in Wright County
Moose Lake is a 87-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving 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. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Moose Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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 14.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moose Lake in Wright 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.
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Water Temperature
Moose Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Moose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Average Depth | 9.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 87 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Moses LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Moose 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.06 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 22.04 | 0.94 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.91 | 0.54 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.16 | 1.4 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.01 | 0.12 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 2.08 | 0.2 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2015-06-15 survey
Moose (Moses) Lake is a small (88 acre) lake in Wright County located five miles south of the town of South Haven. It has a maximum depth of 43 feet and a small watershed consisting mostly of forest and grassland. A small public access with very limited parking is located on the south end of the lake within Stanley…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Moose Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.105 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.34 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 229 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-16 (2016) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2012-11-24 (2012) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-14
EPA Impairment Status
Moose Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0002-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.11 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Moose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 87.07 acres.
Is Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Moose Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet and an average depth of 9.7 feet. The lake covers 87.07 acres.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Moose Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Moose Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Moose Lake thaw?
- Moose Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Are there boat ramps on Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Moses Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Moose Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
127 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
MNPCA127 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 (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
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