Pleasant Lake
Pleasant Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 597 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 74 ft
- Area
- 597 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 238 days
Next lake in Wright County
Pleasant Lake is a 597-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 74 feet (16-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Pleasant Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Pleasant Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pleasant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pleasant Lake in Wright 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 Pleasant Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Pleasant Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 285 field readings (2010–2025) 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 (43,652 cells/mL) on June 20, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 74 ft |
| Average Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 597 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pleasant Lake (South)Public
- Pleasant Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-15 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 47.77 | 0.12 lb |
| BCS | 14.69 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.50 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.79 | 1.26 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.48 | 0.75 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 11.31 | — |
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
Bluntnose Minnow
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
From the 2019-08-15 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pleasant Lake was conducted on August 15th, 2019 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pleasant Lake. 3 reports 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
- —Fish Stocking History — PleasantFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PleasantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.171 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.77 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.46 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
Estimated open water season: 238 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-01 (2007) | 2008-04-23 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-27 (2007) | 2006-12-01 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-04-23
EPA Impairment Status
Pleasant 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 MN86-0251-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 597 acres.
Is Pleasant Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pleasant Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 285 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has a maximum depth of 74 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 597 acres.
What fish are in Pleasant Lake?
- Fish species found in Pleasant Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pleasant Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Pleasant Lake thaw?
- Pleasant Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
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 (43,652 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pleasant Lake (South), Pleasant Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pleasant Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Pleasant Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Pleasant Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
154 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
MNPCA154 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 (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
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