Mud Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota161 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mud Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mud Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 166 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 160.64 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at Mud Lake. DNR survey details →
Mud Lake is a 161-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet (9-foot average). The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Mud Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mud Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
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. Mud Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mud 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 Mud Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mud 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 166 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 59.5 µg/L. TSI 70.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 166µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 59.5µg/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. | 70 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Mud Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mud Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 51 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mud Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at Mud Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mud Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 52.28 | 4–13 in 2018-06-11 | 0.49 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.73 | 5–18 in 2018-06-11 | 1.02 lb |
| Bluegill | 19.35 | 3–6 in 2024-06-10 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.99 | 5–9 in 2024-06-10 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.61 | 3–6 in 2024-06-10 | 0.27 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 10.43 | 6 in 2018-06-11 | 0.21 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 Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-06-10 survey
Vails Lake (aka Mud Lake) is a 151-acre lake located just north of Eden Valley in southern Stearns County. It has a maximum depth of 20 feet. It is the first in a series of lakes which outlet northward to the Sauk River chain of lakes. The watershed is large and dominated by agriculture, pasture, and development. A…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mud Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VailsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VailsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VailsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Average depth
8.6 ft
Surface area
161 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
79%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
33 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,086 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mud LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mud Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mud Lake in Stearns 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 Mud Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Mud 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 Mud Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mud Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Apr 2, 2004 · Latest Apr 16, 2023
Most recent ice-out
Apr 16
2023
5 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Mud Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0151-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Mud Lake
Where is Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 166 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 59.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 160.64 acres.
Is Mud Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mud Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 51 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 8.6 feet. The lake covers 160.64 acres.
What fish are in Mud Lake?
- Fish species found in Mud Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mud Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mud Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 1.17 walleye per gill net at Mud Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mud Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Mud Lake thaw?
- Mud Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15.
Are there boat ramps on Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mud Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Mud Lake?
- Mud Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Mud Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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