Pickerel Lake
Pickerel Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 114.37 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 114 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Dakota County
Why Pickerel Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Pickerel Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Pickerel Lake is a 114-acre lake in Dakota County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Pickerel Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Pickerel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pickerel Lake in Dakota 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 Pickerel Lake
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Water Temperature
Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pickerel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 114 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- LilydalePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pickerel Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 32.72 | 0.33 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.46 | 0.13 lb |
| GIS | 11.07 | 0.73 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.54 | 0.36 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.02 | 2.65 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.97 | 0.09 lb |
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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
GIS
Largemouth Bass
From the 2015-06-29 survey
Pickerel Lake is a 90-acre, class 37 lake located in the Mississippi River floodplain in Lilydale. The lake lies entirely within the Lilydale/Harriet Island Regional Park. During flood events the Mississippi River inundates this shallow, heavily-vegetated basin. Flooding has occurred as recently as the summer of 2010.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pickerel Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PickerelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.043 m/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Pickerel 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 MN19-0079-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Pickerel Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers.
- Xcel Energy - High Bridge Combined Cycle PlantSaint Paul · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0000884Major
- St Paul Municipal Storm WaterSaint Paul, City Of · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0061263Major
- Nexeo Solutions LlcDublin · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0053988
- United & Children'S HospitalsSaint Paul · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MN0002968
- Intek Plastics, Inc.Hastings · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MN0003417
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Pickerel Lake
Pickerel Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 114.37 acres.
Is Pickerel Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pickerel Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 114.37 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, silver redhorse, white crappie, yellow perch. Pickerel Lake is located in Dakota County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lilydale. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pickerel Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
18 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
MNPCA18 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory