Rice Marsh Lake
Rice Marsh Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Mean depth
- ~13 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Rice Marsh Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Rice Marsh Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 13 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Rice Marsh Lake ranks #33 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Rice Marsh Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rice Marsh Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rice Marsh Lake in Hennepin 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 Rice Marsh Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Rice Marsh Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Rice Marsh Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 250 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Rice Marsh Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Rice Marsh Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Rice Marsh Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.459 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.81 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.32 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Rice Marsh 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 MN10-0001-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #33 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Rice Marsh Lake holds Grade D. 3 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 Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Rice Marsh Lake
What is the water quality grade for Rice Marsh Lake?
- Rice Marsh Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L.
Is Rice Marsh Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Rice Marsh Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Rice Marsh Lake?
- Rice Marsh Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 250 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Rice Marsh Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Rice Marsh Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 13 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Rice Marsh Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hennepin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Rice Marsh Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
187 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
MNPCA187 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