Pleasant Lake
Ramsey County, Minnesota607 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pleasant Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 58 ft max depth
Pleasant Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 607.23 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 22, 2020 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches. DNR survey details →
Pleasant Lake is a 607-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Pleasant Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pleasant Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Deep water58 ft surveyed max depth
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. Pleasant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pleasant 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 Pleasant Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pleasant Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.6 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 54µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.6µg/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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Pleasant Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pleasant Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pleasant Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (34,995 cells/mL) on November 1, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 22, 2020 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pleasant 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-09-22 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2020-09-22 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 13.45 | 6–13 in 2020-09-22 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.42 | 5–6 in 2020-09-22 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.78 | 3–7 in 2020-09-22 | 0.34 lb |
| White Bass | 5.28 | 10–15 in 2001-07-16 | 0.68 lb |
| Walleye | 5.11 | 7–22 in 2020-09-22 | 1.36 lb |
| Common Carp | 1.95 | 22–24 in 2001-07-16 | 3.6 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.
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
White Bass
From the 2020-09-22 survey
This lake is located within the City of North Oaks, a gated community. North Oaks was initially the summer retreat of railroad baron James J. Hill. Most of the land surrounding the lake was developed as upscale, single family housing by the North Oaks Association, which retains ownership of the land. The immediate…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pleasant Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PleasantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
58 ft
Surface area
607 acres
Shoreline
6 mi
Littoral zone
45%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
51 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
883 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pleasant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pleasant 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Pleasant Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pleasant 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pleasant 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+8.93 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.44 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Pleasant Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN62-0046-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Lake
Where is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant 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 Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 54 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 607.23 acres.
Is Pleasant Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pleasant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet. The lake covers 607.23 acres.
What fish are in Pleasant Lake?
- Fish species found in Pleasant Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white bass, yellow perch. Pleasant Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pleasant Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on September 22, 2020 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pleasant 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.
Does Pleasant Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (34,995 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at Pleasant Lake?
- Public access to Pleasant 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 Pleasant 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
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Compare Pleasant Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
176 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
MNPCA176 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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