Ripple Lake
Ripple Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 630.45 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 630 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 217 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Ripple Lake is a 630-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Aitkin County, Ripple Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 14.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Ripple Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ripple Lake in Aitkin 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.
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Water Temperature
Ripple Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 108 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ripple Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 630 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 47% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Ripple LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ripple Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 25.14 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 22.08 | 0.92 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 16.00 | — |
| BKS | 13.37 | — |
| Bluegill | 12.43 | 0.19 lb |
| GOS | 11.08 | — |
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
Bluegill
From the 2023-08-14 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Ripple Lake was conducted on August 15, 2023 by Aitkin Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ripple Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RippleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ripple (0064)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RippleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RipplePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.019 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
Estimated open water season: 217 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-29 (2016) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-08 (2019) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-01
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ripple Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ripple Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Ripple River; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 35 ft long.
- Surface area
- 600 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,600 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 5,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 101 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00243 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Ripple Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0146-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 18 lakes in Aitkin County
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Ripple Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ripple Lake?
- Ripple Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 630.45 acres.
Is Ripple Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Ripple Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 14.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ripple Lake?
- Ripple Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 108 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ripple Lake?
- Ripple Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 630.45 acres.
What fish are in Ripple Lake?
- Fish species found in Ripple Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ripple Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Ripple Lake thaw?
- Ripple Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 217 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ripple Lake?
- Ripple Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ripple Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ripple Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
93 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA93 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate