Pike Lake
Scott County, Minnesota49 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pike Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 9 ft max depth
Pike Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 189.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 48.97 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 1978 caught 0.33 yellow perch per trap net at Pike Lake. DNR survey details →
Pike Lake is a 49-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Scott County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Scott County, Pike Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pike Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 19
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Pike Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pike 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 Pike Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pike Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 189.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.6 µg/L. TSI 68.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 190µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.6µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 68 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Pike Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pike Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 555 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pike Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 1978 caught 0.33 yellow perch per trap net at Pike Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pike Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1978-07-20 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1978-07-20 (Standard Survey)
48 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 0.67 | 0.6 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 0.33 | 0.1 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.
From the 1978-07-20 survey
Test nettting in Pike Lake caught 2 BLB and 1 YP in 3 trap nets and numerous salamanders in the gillnet set.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pike Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PikeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
49 acres
Shoreline
2.3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
32 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
814 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pike Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pike 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Pike Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pike 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 Pike Lake’s readings
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Fishing Pike 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: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+19.09 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.72 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 19
Earliest Mar 7, 2017 · Latest Mar 25, 2009
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 26, 2013 · Latest Dec 4, 2009
Most recent ice-out
Mar 7
2017
15 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Pike Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN70-0076-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Scott County
Frequently asked questions about Pike Lake
Where is Pike Lake?
- Pike 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 Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake in Scott County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 189.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 48.97 acres.
Is Pike Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pike Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 555 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pike Lake?
- Pike Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 48.97 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pike Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 1978 caught 0.33 yellow perch per trap net at Pike Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pike Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Pike Lake thaw?
- Pike Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 19. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 258 days.
Can I fish at Pike Lake?
- Public access to Pike Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Pike Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
403 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA403 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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