Powderhorn Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota11 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Powderhorn Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 24 ft max depth
Powderhorn Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 47.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 11.38 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2016 caught 2.00 bluegill per gill net at Powderhorn Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–9 inches. DNR survey details →
Powderhorn Lake is a 11-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and channel catfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Powderhorn Lake ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Powderhorn Lake covers about 11 acres in Hennepin County. The median ice-out date is April 4, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Powderhorn Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Powderhorn Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 4
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Powderhorn Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 66.7% of 6 samples across 6 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Whether Powderhorn 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 Powderhorn Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Powderhorn 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 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 47.3 µg/L. TSI 72.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 150µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 47.3µg/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. | 72 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Powderhorn Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Powderhorn Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 808 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Powderhorn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2016 caught 2.00 bluegill per gill net at Powderhorn Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Powderhorn 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-05 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2016-07-05 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.16 | 4–7 in 2016-07-05 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.04 | 4–6 in 2007-07-09 | 0.27 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.26 | 3–9 in 2016-07-05 | 0.2 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.80 | 6–8 in 2016-07-05 | 0.15 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 4.33 | 1–5 in 1995-07-31 | 0.05 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 Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
From the 2016-07-05 survey
Powderhorn Lake is a 12-acre Class 40 lake located within Powderhorn Park in the City of Minneapolis. Powderhorn Lake was managed as a Kids Fishing Pond and regularly stocked with adult Bluegill and Black Crappie beginning in 1980. Since 2001, Powderhorn Lake has been managed by the Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN)…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Powderhorn Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PowderhornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PowderhornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Surface area
11 acres
Shoreline
0.6 mi
Littoral zone
83%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Powderhorn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Powderhorn Lake in Hennepin 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 Powderhorn Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Powderhorn 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 Powderhorn 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
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+1.41 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.44 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 4
Earliest Mar 4, 2024 · Latest Apr 27, 1965
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 1, 1991 · Latest Jan 3, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 4
2024
63 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Powderhorn 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: Aquatic life, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0014-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Powderhorn Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Kwong Tung Foods IncMinneapolis · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MN0062723
- Calco SproutsMinneapolis · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MN0059960
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 Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Powderhorn Lake
Where is Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake is a lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 47.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 11.38 acres.
Is Powderhorn Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Powderhorn Lake routinely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 66.7% of 6 samples across 6 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Powderhorn Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 808 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 11.38 acres.
What fish are in Powderhorn Lake?
- Fish species found in Powderhorn Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, channel catfish, goldfish, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed. Powderhorn Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Powderhorn Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 5, 2016 caught 2.00 bluegill per gill net at Powderhorn Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–9 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Powderhorn 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 Powderhorn Lake thaw?
- Powderhorn Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 241 days.
Can I fish at Powderhorn Lake?
- Public access to Powderhorn 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 Powderhorn Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
652 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
MNPCA652 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate