O'Dowd Lake
Scott County, Minnesota301 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for O'Dowd Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
O'Dowd Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 300.52 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 8.00 walleye per gill net at O'Dowd Lake. DNR survey details →
O'Dowd Lake is a 301-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, O'Dowd Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What O'Dowd Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 3
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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. O'Dowd 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 O'Dowd 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 O'Dowd Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for O'Dowd Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.5 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 27.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about O'Dowd Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
O'Dowd Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 88 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full O'Dowd Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 8.00 walleye per gill net at O'Dowd Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows O'Dowd Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-01 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 49.01 | 8–12 in 2022-08-01 | 0.46 lb |
| Bluegill | 32.02 | 3–8 in 2022-08-01 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 17.96 | 3–10 in 2022-08-01 | 0.22 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.04 | 5–20 in 2022-08-01 | 1.36 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.80 | 4–8 in 2022-08-01 | 0.2 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.48 | 4–7 in 2022-08-01 | 0.15 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-08-01 survey
O'Dowd is a 300-acre (235 littoral acres) lake with a maximum depth of 22 feet. O'Dowd is located in the City of Shakopee, in northern Scott County. O'Dowd is actively managed for Walleye and Northern Pike, with secondary emphasis on Largemouth Bass. O'Dowd also supports catchable populations of Bluegill and Black…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for O'Dowd Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — O'DowdFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — O'DowdFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — O'DowdPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Surface area
301 acres
Shoreline
9.3 mi
Littoral zone
78%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
935 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near O'Dowd Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near O'Dowd Lake in Scott 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 O'Dowd 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 O'Dowd 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 O'Dowd 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 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+42.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+7.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 3
Earliest Mar 14, 2016 · Latest May 1, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 30
Earliest Nov 17, 2022 · Latest Dec 7, 2021
Most recent ice-out
Apr 11
2022
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
O'Dowd 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 MN70-0095-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about O'Dowd Lake
Where is O'Dowd Lake?
- O'Dowd Lake is a lake in Scott County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of O'Dowd Lake?
- O'Dowd Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 300.52 acres.
Is O'Dowd Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. O'Dowd Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of O'Dowd Lake?
- O'Dowd Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 88 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is O'Dowd Lake?
- O'Dowd Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 300.52 acres.
What fish are in O'Dowd Lake?
- Fish species found in O'Dowd Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. O'Dowd Lake is located in Scott County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at O'Dowd Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 8.00 walleye per gill net at O'Dowd Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows O'Dowd Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does O'Dowd Lake thaw?
- O'Dowd Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 241 days.
Can I fish at O'Dowd Lake?
- Public access to O'Dowd Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 O'Dowd 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 Scott County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near O'Dowd Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
131 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
MNPCA131 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate