Nixon Lake
Wright County, Minnesota60 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Nixon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 67 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Nixon Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 67 ft. Surface area: 59.57 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 28, 2021 caught 9.25 northern pike per gill net at Nixon Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–34 inches. DNR survey details →
Nixon Lake is a 60-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 67 feet (14-foot average). The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Nixon Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Nixon Lake covers about 60 acres in Wright County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 9, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Nixon Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Nixon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
- Deep water67 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Nixon 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 Nixon Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Nixon 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 13.1 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.4 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.4µg/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. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Nixon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Nixon Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 54°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 54°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (54°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 203 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Nixon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 28, 2021 caught 9.25 northern pike per gill net at Nixon Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–34 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Nixon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-28 (Standard Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.05 | 2–7 in 2021-06-28 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.76 | 11 in 2001-06-28 | 0.64 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 5.10 | 5–12 in 2021-06-28 | 0.52 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.82 | 6–15 in 2021-06-28 | 0.84 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.59 | 12–34 in 2021-06-28 | 1.51 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.90 | 11 in 2001-06-28 | 0.59 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2021-06-28 survey
Nixon Lake is a small 56-acre natural environmental lake located 4 miles south of the town of Clearwater in Wright County. The lake has a small watershed, good water quality, and a diverse aquatic plant community. It has a maximum depth of 67 feet and an average summer water clarity depth of 10 feet. The lake is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Nixon Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NixonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Nixon (1938)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NixonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
67 ft
Average depth
14.4 ft
Surface area
60 acres
Shoreline
1.8 mi
Littoral zone
55%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
984 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Nixon 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 Nixon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nixon 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Nixon 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 Nixon 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 Nixon Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 31, 2007 · Latest Apr 22, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 4
Earliest Nov 25, 2003 · Latest Dec 14, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 22
2008
12 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Nixon Lake
Where is Nixon Lake?
- Nixon Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Nixon Lake?
- Nixon Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 67 ft. Surface area: 59.57 acres.
Is Nixon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Nixon Lake?
- Nixon Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in September, from 203 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Nixon Lake?
- Nixon Lake has a maximum depth of 67 feet and an average depth of 14.4 feet. The lake covers 59.57 acres.
What fish are in Nixon Lake?
- Fish species found in Nixon Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Nixon Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Nixon Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 28, 2021 caught 9.25 northern pike per gill net at Nixon Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 12–34 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Nixon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Nixon Lake thaw?
- Nixon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Dec 4. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Are there boat ramps on Nixon Lake?
- Nixon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nixon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Nixon Lake?
- Nixon 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 Nixon Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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 Nixon Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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