Powderhorn Lake
Powderhorn Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 11 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 241 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Powderhorn Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Powderhorn Lake is a 11-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria F
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.
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.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 150 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 47.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 72.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 150 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 47.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Powderhorn Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Powderhorn Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Powderhorn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 11 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 83% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.16 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.04 | 0.27 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.26 | 0.2 lb |
| GOF | 5.39 | 0.55 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.80 | 0.15 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 4.33 | 0.05 lb |
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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
GOF
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.023 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +1.41 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.44 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (63 observations).
Estimated open water season: 241 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-04 (2024) | 1965-04-27 (1965) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-01 (1991) | 2024-01-03 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-04
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #64 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Powderhorn Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Powderhorn Lake
What is the water quality grade for Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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 works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of F — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Powderhorn Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Powderhorn Lake?
- Powderhorn Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Powderhorn Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate