Ripley Lake
Ripley Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 614.31 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 614 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Meeker County
Ripley Lake is a 614-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet (12-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Ripley Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 19.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 44 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 19.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Ripley Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ripley 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 Ripley Lake
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Water Temperature
Ripley Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2016–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ripley Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 614 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 76% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Round LakePublic
- Ripley LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ripley 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 93.16 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 38.31 | 0.56 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.00 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 21.03 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.12 | 1.54 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 6.97 | 0.64 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-05-01 survey
Ripley is a medium sized lake (614 acres) located next to the City of Litchfield in Meeker County. Ripley has four miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 18 feet. A city owned public access, with a cement boat ramp, and a large amount of parking is present on the east shore. A county owned public access, with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ripley Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Ripley (west portion)Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Ripley (west portion)Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.111 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.69 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ripley 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 MN47-0134-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.47 km)
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Ripley Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Litchfield WwtpLitchfield · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MN0023973MajorRecent violation
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Ripley Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Ripley Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ripley Lake?
- Ripley Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 19.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 614.31 acres.
Is Ripley Lake safe to swim in?
- Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present. Ripley Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 19.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ripley Lake?
- Ripley Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ripley Lake?
- Ripley Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 614.31 acres.
What fish are in Ripley Lake?
- Fish species found in Ripley Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ripley Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Ripley Lake?
- Ripley Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Round Lake, Ripley Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ripley Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Meeker 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
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Where this data comes from
82 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
MNPCA82 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
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