Reitz Lake
Reitz Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 92.42 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 36 ft
- Area
- 92 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 238 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Reitz Lake →
Next lake in Carver County
Reitz Lake is a 92-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. Water quality is graded F 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 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Reitz Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 36.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 36.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Reitz Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Reitz Lake in Carver 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 Reitz Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Reitz Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Reitz Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 59°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 997 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Reitz Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 36 ft |
| Surface Area | 92 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Reitz LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Reitz 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: 2021-06-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 52.24 | 0.22 lb |
| White Crappie | 44.83 | 0.34 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 41.89 | 0.65 lb |
| Black Crappie | 22.49 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.94 | 0.19 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 15.86 | 0.09 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.
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-06-21 survey
Reitz Lake is 92-acres (45.7 littoral acres), with a maximum depth of 36 feet. Reitz is located east of Waconia in central Carver County. Public water access is provided by the DNR Parks and Trails on the north side of the lake off of Reitz Lake road (up to 3 vehicle/trailer parking spaces). Reitz is primarily managed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Reitz Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ReitzFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ReitzPublic 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 | -0.052 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +14.81 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +6.08 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
Estimated open water season: 238 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2014-04-19 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-20 (2022) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-03
EPA Impairment Status
Reitz 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 MN10-0052-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 38 lakes in Carver County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Reitz Lake holds Grade F. 2 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 Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Reitz Lake
What is the water quality grade for Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 36.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 92.42 acres.
Is Reitz Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Reitz Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 36.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 997 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 92.42 acres.
What fish are in Reitz Lake?
- Fish species found in Reitz Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Reitz Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
When does Reitz Lake thaw?
- Reitz Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Are there boat ramps on Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Reitz Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Reitz Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
219 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
MNPCA219 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