Rachel Lake
Rachel Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 448.16 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 448 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 11
Next lake in Douglas County
Rachel Lake is a 448-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (30-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Rachel Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Rachel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rachel Lake in Douglas 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.
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Water Temperature
Rachel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in Jul (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rachel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 448 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Rachel LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rachel Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 41.50 | 0.16 lb |
| BKS | 34.50 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 18.74 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 15.67 | 0.88 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.63 | 0.98 lb |
| JND | 10.83 | — |
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
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Rachel Lake is a 496 acre natural basin located in south central Douglas County near Holmes City. Maximum depth is 65 feet. Water quality and clarity are typically very good, although significant annual variability is noted. Rachel Lake supports a robust aquatic plant community. Habitat attributes are typical of a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rachel Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RachelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Rachel (0939)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RachelFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RachelPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.154 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-18 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-27 (2014) | 2015-12-18 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-04-03
EPA Impairment Status
Rachel 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 MN21-0157-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.36 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #14 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Rachel Lake
What is the water quality grade for Rachel Lake?
- Rachel Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 448.16 acres.
Is Rachel Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Rachel Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Rachel Lake?
- Rachel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rachel Lake?
- Rachel Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 448.16 acres.
What fish are in Rachel Lake?
- Fish species found in Rachel Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Rachel Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Rachel Lake thaw?
- Rachel Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11.
Are there boat ramps on Rachel Lake?
- Rachel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rachel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rachel Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Rachel Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
80 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
MNPCA80 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