Pierz Lake
Morrison County, Minnesota189 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pierz Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Pierz Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 189.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 2020 caught 4.50 walleye per gill net at Pierz Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Pierz Lake is a 189-acre mesotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (20-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Morrison County, Pierz Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pierz Lake covers about 190 acres in Morrison County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 15, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Pierz Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Pierz Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water34 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 Pierz 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 Pierz Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pierz 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 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.6 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.6µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pierz Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pierz Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Oct (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pierz Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 2020 caught 4.50 walleye per gill net at Pierz Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pierz Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2022-06-08 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2022-06-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 31.67 | 5–13 in 2022-06-08 | 0.75 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.43 | 3–8 in 2022-06-08 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.35 | 9 in 2022-06-08 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 4.60 | 9–14 in 2020-08-10 | 0.93 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.99 | 6–11 in 2022-06-08 | 0.26 lb |
| Walleye | 2.89 | 9–26 in 2022-06-08 | 1.79 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2022-06-08 survey
A targeted survey was completed June 8-14 to assess size structure of Bluegill and Black Crappie. Previous spring trap netting occurred in 2005, 2011 and 2014. In 2020, sampling was canceled due to Covid 19 restrictions. General observations suggest Bluegill and crappie size structure may be increasing as proportions…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pierz Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PierzFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pierz (1929)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PierzFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PierzPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
34 ft
Average depth
20 ft
Surface area
189 acres
Shoreline
3.3 mi
Littoral zone
34%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,102 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pierz 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 Pierz Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pierz Lake in Morrison 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 Pierz 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 Pierz Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pierz Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2022–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 20, 2012 · Latest May 7, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 4, 1991 · Latest Dec 26, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 29
2025
164 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pierz Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pierz Lake (completed 1955), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Platte River-TR; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 118 ft long.
- Surface area
- 189 ac
- Normal storage
- 3,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,900 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 4.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Fisheries
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00715 · Operator website
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Pierz Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Rich Prairie Sewer Treatment FacilityPierz · 3.9 mi away · NPDES MN0063657
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.
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Pierz Lake
Where is Pierz Lake?
- Pierz Lake is a lake in Morrison County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pierz Lake?
- Pierz Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 189.21 acres.
Is Pierz 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 Pierz Lake?
- Pierz Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in October, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pierz Lake?
- Pierz Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 189.21 acres.
What fish are in Pierz Lake?
- Fish species found in Pierz Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pierz Lake is located in Morrison County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pierz Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 10, 2020 caught 4.50 walleye per gill net at Pierz Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pierz Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Pierz Lake thaw?
- Pierz Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
Are there boat ramps on Pierz Lake?
- Pierz Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pierz Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pierz Lake?
- Pierz 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 Pierz Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Morrison 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
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State Parks Near Pierz Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
41 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA41 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate