Rabour Lake
Chisago County, Minnesota53 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Rabour Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
Rabour Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 48 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 52.56 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 2, 2016 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Rabour Lake. DNR survey details →
Rabour Lake is a 53-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Chisago County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Chisago County, Rabour Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Rabour Lake covers about 53 acres in Chisago County. The median ice-out date is April 7, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Rabour Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Rabour Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 7
- Deep water43 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. Rabour Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Rabour 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 Rabour Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Rabour 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 48 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 22.5 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 48µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 22.5µg/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. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Rabour Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Rabour Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Sep (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rabour Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 2, 2016 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Rabour Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rabour 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-05-02 (Targeted Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2016-05-02 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.83 | 3–8 in 2016-05-02 | 0.23 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.54 | 7–18 in 2016-05-02 | 0.9 lb |
| Black Crappie | 17.26 | 2–13 in 2016-05-02 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 16.41 | 4–12 in 2001-07-16 | 0.33 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.88 | 4–6 in 2001-07-16 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 7.59 | 3–5 in 2001-07-16 | 0.12 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
From the 2016-05-02 survey
In May 2016, spring trap netting was conducted to assess Bluegill and Black Crappie populations and night electrofishing was used to assess that of Largemouth Bass. Both Bluegill and Black Crappie catch rates were higher in Rabour than in connected Mandall and Goose Lakes to the north. Black Crappie catch rates were…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rabour Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RabourFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RabourPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
43 ft
Surface area
53 acres
Shoreline
1.3 mi
Littoral zone
67%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
899 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Rabour Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rabour Lake in Chisago 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 Rabour Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rabour 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 Rabour 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
Improving-5.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-5.51 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 7
Earliest Mar 9, 2000 · Latest Apr 27, 2014
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 4, 1991 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 1
2026
52 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Rabour 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: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN13-0079-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Chisago County
Frequently asked questions about Rabour Lake
Where is Rabour Lake?
- Rabour Lake is a lake in Chisago County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rabour Lake?
- Rabour Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 48 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 22.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 52.56 acres.
Is Rabour Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rabour Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Rabour Lake?
- Rabour Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rabour Lake?
- Rabour Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 52.56 acres.
What fish are in Rabour Lake?
- Fish species found in Rabour Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye. Rabour Lake is located in Chisago County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Rabour Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 2, 2016 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Rabour Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rabour 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 Rabour Lake thaw?
- Rabour Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Can I fish at Rabour Lake?
- Public access to Rabour Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Rabour Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
124 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
MNPCA124 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate