Richardson Lake
Meeker County, Minnesota119 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Richardson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 47 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Richardson Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 119.37 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Richardson Lake. DNR survey details →
Richardson Lake is a 119-acre lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Richardson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 4
- Deep water47 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Richardson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Richardson 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 Richardson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Richardson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Richardson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Richardson Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (65°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Richardson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Richardson Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Richardson 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 36.62 | 5–11 in 2024-07-01 | 0.2 lb |
| White Crappie | 35.66 | 4–12 in 2008-06-16 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 22.86 | 5–8 in 2024-07-01 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 21.78 | 5–6 in 2024-07-01 | 0.7 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.96 | 4–7 in 2024-07-01 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.46 | 7 in 2024-07-01 | 0.36 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.
Black Crappie
White Crappie
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Richardson is a small-sized lake (119 acres) located north of the city of Darwin in Meeker County. A state-owned access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is available on the south shore. Richardson has approximately two miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of forty-seven feet. The Minnesota…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Richardson Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RichardsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RichardsonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RichardsonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
47 ft
Surface area
119 acres
Shoreline
1.8 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,060 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Richardson 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 Richardson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Richardson Lake in Meeker 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 Richardson Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Richardson Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 4
Earliest Mar 1, 2000 · Latest Apr 30, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 13, 2018 · Latest Jan 11, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 24
2025
51 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Richardson 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 MN47-0088-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Richardson Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Alpha Foods LlcForest City Township · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MN0069230
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.
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Richardson Lake
Where is Richardson Lake?
- Richardson Lake is a lake in Meeker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Richardson Lake?
- Richardson Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 119.37 acres.
Is Richardson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Richardson 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 Richardson Lake?
- Richardson Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Richardson Lake?
- Richardson Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet. The lake covers 119.37 acres.
What fish are in Richardson Lake?
- Fish species found in Richardson Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Richardson Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Richardson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Richardson Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Richardson 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 Richardson Lake thaw?
- Richardson Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 241 days.
Are there boat ramps on Richardson Lake?
- Richardson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Richardson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Richardson Lake?
- Richardson 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.
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Where this data comes from
84 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA84 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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