Rifle Lake
Rifle Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 904.07 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.8 ft
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 904 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Why Rifle Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Rifle Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Rifle Lake is a 904-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bluegill, burbot, and cisco species. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-08-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Rifle Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Rifle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rifle Lake in Lake 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 Rifle Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 904 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 19 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rifle Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 6.95 | 0.72 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.89 | 1.75 lb |
| CIS | 5.00 | 0.19 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.56 | 2.53 lb |
| LKW | 2.33 | 1.56 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 1.50 | 0.23 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.
Walleye
White Sucker
CIS
Northern Pike
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Three Lake on August 18th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco, also…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rifle Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ThreeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.132 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Rifle 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 MN38-0608-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.43 km)
Graded lakes near Rifle Lake
Rifle Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Rifle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Rifle Lake?
- Rifle Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 904.07 acres.
Is Rifle Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Rifle Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Rifle Lake?
- Rifle Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 904.07 acres.
What fish are in Rifle Lake?
- Fish species found in Rifle Lake include bluegill, burbot, cisco species, lake whitefish, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Rifle Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
Explore Rifle Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA2 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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