Rice Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota1,513 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Rice Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 41 ft max depth
- Public access
Rice Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 1513.36 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 14.25 walleye per gill net at Rice Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Rice Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Rice Lake is a 1,513-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 41 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Rice Lake ranks #25 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Rice Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing21 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 6
- Deep water41 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,513 acres
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. Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Rice 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 Rice Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Rice 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 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 39.5 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 | 50µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 39.5µg/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. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Rice Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Rice Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (398,107 cells/mL) on July 6, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 14.25 walleye per gill net at Rice Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice 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
26 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-22 (Targeted Survey).
26 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-22 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 19.30 | 4–7 in 2024-07-22 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.93 | 2–8 in 2024-07-22 | 0.17 lb |
| Walleye | 15.95 | 6–7 in 2025-10-22 | 1.3 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.92 | 9 in 2024-07-22 | 0.73 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.06 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 10.61 | 5–19 in 2024-07-22 | 1.3 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Walleye
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-10-22 survey
A targeted fall night electrofishing survey was conducted for young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye on Rice Lake during October 22, 2025. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e. spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which samples a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rice Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RiceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RiceFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RicePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
41 ft
Surface area
1,513 acres
Shoreline
14.9 mi
Littoral zone
63%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
17 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,115 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Rice Lake (South)Public
- Rice Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rice Lake in Stearns 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 Rice Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rice 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 Rice 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
Stable-0.47 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.58 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 6
Earliest Mar 14, 2024 · Latest May 1, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 9, 2019 · Latest Dec 19, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Mar 28
2025
41 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Rice 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: Cultural, Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0196-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Rice Lake
Where is Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 39.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 41 ft. Surface area: 1513.36 acres.
Is Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Rice Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen), salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has a maximum depth of 41 feet. The lake covers 1513.36 acres.
What fish are in Rice Lake?
- Fish species found in Rice Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, golden redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Rice Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Rice Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 14.25 walleye per gill net at Rice Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–7 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Rice 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 Rice Lake thaw?
- Rice Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Does Rice Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Rice Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (398,107 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake (South), Rice Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Rice Lake?
- Rice Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Rice Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
271 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA271 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 (4)
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