Pulaski Lake
Pulaski Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Mean depth
- ~21 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
Next lake in Wright County
Pulaski Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 21 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Pulaski Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pulaski Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pulaski 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 Pulaski Lake
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Water Temperature
Pulaski Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pulaski Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pulaski Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (124,738 cells/mL) on May 9, 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 |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~21 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Pulaski Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Constance LakePublic
- Griffing ParkPublic
Fishing Pulaski 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 Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pulaski Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Public Water Access Sites — Pulaski (main bay)Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2022-04-11 (2022) | 2008-04-23 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-12-04 (2007) | 2022-12-19 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Pulaski 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 MN86-0053-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.06 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Pulaski Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pulaski Lake?
- Pulaski Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.3 µg/L.
Is Pulaski Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pulaski Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pulaski Lake?
- Pulaski Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pulaski Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Pulaski Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 21 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Pulaski Lake thaw?
- Pulaski Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Does Pulaski Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pulaski Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (124,738 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pulaski Lake?
- Pulaski Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Constance Lake, Griffing Park. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
99 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
MNPCA99 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)
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