Owasso Lake
Ramsey County, Minnesota375 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Owasso Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
Owasso Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 374.96 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 2.60 walleye per gill net at Owasso Lake. DNR survey details →
Owasso Lake is a 375-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet (11-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Owasso Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Owasso Lake covers about 370 acres in Ramsey County. The median ice-out date is April 5, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Owasso Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Owasso Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 5
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Owasso 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 Owasso Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Owasso Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.4 ft. Phosphorus 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.3 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 27µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.3µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Owasso Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Owasso Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 68°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (41°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 880 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Owasso Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 2.60 walleye per gill net at Owasso Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Owasso 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-13 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-13 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 77.84 | 3–6 in 2024-06-13 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 17.56 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 12.32 | 10–12 in 2024-06-13 | 0.9 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 9.85 | 11–12 in 2021-07-26 | 0.47 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 9.75 | 7 in 2018-06-22 | 0.11 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.65 |
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
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Green Sunfish
From the 2024-06-13 survey
Lake Owasso is a eutrophic, class 24 lake located in Ramsey County. The lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet and is 375 acres in surface area, with 293 littoral acres (78%). The primary management species in Lake Owasso are Walleye and Muskellunge, and the secondary management species is Largemouth Bass. Eurasian…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Owasso Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OwassoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OwassoFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OwassoPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Average depth
11.2 ft
Surface area
375 acres
Shoreline
5.7 mi
Littoral zone
78%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Owasso Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Owasso Lake in Ramsey 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 Owasso 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 Owasso 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 Owasso 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
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.83 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.64 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 5
Earliest Mar 8, 2017 · Latest Apr 29, 1965
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 2, 2002 · Latest Dec 5, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Mar 23
2021
78 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Owasso Lake
Where is Owasso Lake?
- Owasso Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Owasso Lake?
- Owasso Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 374.96 acres.
Is Owasso 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 Owasso Lake?
- Owasso Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 880 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Owasso Lake?
- Owasso Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet and an average depth of 11.2 feet. The lake covers 374.96 acres.
What fish are in Owasso Lake?
- Fish species found in Owasso Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Owasso Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Owasso Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 13, 2024 caught 2.60 walleye per gill net at Owasso Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Owasso 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 Owasso Lake thaw?
- Owasso Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 5. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
Can I fish at Owasso Lake?
- Public access to Owasso 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 Owasso 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 Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Owasso Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
663 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
MNPCA663 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate