Parley Lake
Carver County, MinnesotaHypereutrophic
Parley Lake earns an F: 100 µg/L of phosphorus and clarity at 1.6 ft signal heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed. The two scored sub-grades — clarity and phosphorus — track close together, so neither one is dragging the average down.
Hypereutrophic conditions mean the lake is operating at the upper end of the productivity scale, with all the bloom risk that implies. The lake bottoms out at 18 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. Parley Lake covers 258 acres alongside 3.8 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within the 40 graded lakes of Carver County, Parley Lake sits at rank 35, near the bottom of the county list.
Eurasian watermilfoil has been documented at Parley Lake, requiring shoreline management to keep dense mats from crowding native vegetation. Walleye are documented at Parley Lake, one of 16 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Parley Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins
Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 100 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | F |
| Phosphorus | 100 µg/L | F |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 257.92 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 90% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Parley Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Parley Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Parley Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
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: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.065 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.45 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 40 lakes in Carver County
Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles
Parley Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.
- BZumbra-Sunny LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (F → B)
- CAuburn LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CWaconia LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CEast Auburn LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
- CSteiger LakeCarver County · mi · Two grade letters higher (F → C)
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Parley Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.51 | 0.22 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 29.87 | 0.63 lb |
| Black Crappie | 26.41 | 0.24 lb |
| White Crappie | 13.83 | 0.32 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.33 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 6.71 | — |
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
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
White Crappie
From the 2025-06-09 survey
Parley is a 258-acre (231 littoral acres) lake with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Parley is located northeast of the City of Waconia in central Carver County. Parley is primarily managed for Bluegill and crappie but includes catchable populations of Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, and Walleye. Public water access…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Parley Lake. 3 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ParleyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ParleyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ParleyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Parley Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lundsten Lake (completed 1966), built primarily for other on the Minehaha Creek; earth-type dam, 20 ft tall and 150 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 15.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Three Rivers Park District
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00769 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.91 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Parley 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 MN10-0042-00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Most recent sample: 2024-10-03
Monitoring stations: 1