Reitz Lake
Carver County, Minnesota92 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Reitz Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Reitz Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Reitz Lake. DNR survey details →
Reitz Lake is a 92-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Reitz Lake covers about 92 acres in Carver County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 8, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Reitz Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Reitz Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 8
- Deep water36 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. Reitz Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Reitz 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 Reitz Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Reitz 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 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 36.8 µg/L. TSI 63.
| 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 | 53µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 36.8µg/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. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Reitz Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Reitz Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (59°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Reitz Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Reitz Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-21 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-21 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 52.24 | 3–8 in 2021-06-21 | 0.22 lb |
| White Crappie | 44.83 | 0.34 lb | |
| Black Bullhead | 41.89 | 5–10 in 2021-06-21 | 0.65 lb |
| Black Crappie | 22.49 | 3–11 in 2021-06-21 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.94 | 5–10 in 2021-06-21 | 0.19 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 15.86 | 3–5 in 2021-06-21 | 0.09 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
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
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Surface area
92 acres
Shoreline
2.1 mi
Littoral zone
49%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
928 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Reitz LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Reitz Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Reitz 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 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+14.81 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+6.08 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 8
Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest Apr 19, 2014
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 20, 2022 · Latest Dec 7, 2021
Most recent ice-out
Mar 3
2024
13 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0052-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Reitz Lake
Where is Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake is a lake in Carver County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Reitz Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Reitz Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Reitz Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Reitz Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Reitz Lake?
- Reitz Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Reitz Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate