Rays Lake
Rays Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 168.93 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 169 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 29
- Open water
- 252 days
Next lake in Le Sueur County
Why Rays Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Rays Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Rays Lake is a 169-acre lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 4 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Rays Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rays Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rays Lake in Le Sueur 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 Rays Lake
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Water Temperature
Rays Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 245 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rays Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 169 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 82% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lily LakePublic
- Rays LakePublic
- Lake FrancesPublic
- Elysian LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rays 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-26 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 34.25 | 0.47 lb |
| Bluegill | 32.64 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 23.99 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 23.83 | — |
| Black Crappie | 15.93 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.06 | 0.83 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
Bluegill
Bluntnose Minnow
Green Sunfish
From the 2021-07-26 survey
Rays (Charles) Lake is a 156.3-acre lake located in Le Sueur County north of the town of Elysian. A public access is located on the south side of the lake off 1st Street North, which goes north from Elysian. Rays Lake has a maximum depth of 32.0 feet. Eurasian watermilfoil is present in Rays Lake. Boaters should be…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rays Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RaysFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RaysPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.009 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -4.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (12 observations).
Estimated open water season: 252 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-03-21 (2015) | 2008-04-16 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2008-11-19 (2008) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-03-21
EPA Impairment Status
Rays 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 MN40-0061-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.9 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Rays Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- ElysianElysian · 0.5 mi away · NPDES MN0041114
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.
Graded lakes near Rays Lake
Rays Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Le Sueur County
Frequently asked questions about Rays Lake
What is the water quality grade for Rays Lake?
- Rays Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 168.93 acres.
Is Rays Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Rays Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Rays Lake?
- Rays Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 245 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rays Lake?
- Rays Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 168.93 acres.
What fish are in Rays Lake?
- Fish species found in Rays Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Rays Lake is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
When does Rays Lake thaw?
- Rays Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 29. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 252 days.
Are there boat ramps on Rays Lake?
- Rays Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lily Lake, Rays Lake, Lake Frances, Elysian Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Rays Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
34 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
MNPCA34 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic 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 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