Roberds Lake
Roberds Lake in Rice County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 300 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 86.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 632.29 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 632 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 3
- Open water
- 242 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Roberds Lake →
Next lake in Rice County
Roberds Lake is a 632-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Rice County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 13 other monitored lakes in Rice County, Roberds Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-08. 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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 300 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 86.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 300 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 86.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Roberds Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Roberds Lake in Rice 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 Roberds Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Roberds 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
Roberds Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 89 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Roberds Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Roberds Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (731,139 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 632 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Roberds LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Roberds Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-10-23 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 3856.08 | 1.21 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 32.07 | 0.78 lb |
| Black Crappie | 23.73 | 0.32 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.27 | 0.29 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.83 | 0.2 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 6.96 | 1.97 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.
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2023-10-23 survey
A survey targeting age-0 Walleye was conducted at Roberds Lake on 23 October 2023 using 56 minutes of standard boat electrofishing. Zero age-0 Walleye were sampled for a catch rate of 0.0/hour on-time. Catch rates have averaged 3.1/hour on-time during 7 surveys since 2017. During that period non-stocked years (n = 4)…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Roberds Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RoberdsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RoberdsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RoberdsPublic 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 | -0.015 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (65 observations).
Estimated open water season: 242 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-02-29 (2024) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 1995-11-09 (1995) | 2001-12-21 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-26
EPA Impairment Status
Roberds 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 MN66-0018-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 14 lakes in Rice County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Roberds Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Rice County
Frequently asked questions about Roberds Lake
What is the water quality grade for Roberds Lake?
- Roberds Lake in Rice County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 300 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 86.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 632.29 acres.
Is Roberds Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Roberds Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 86.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Roberds Lake?
- Roberds Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 89 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Roberds Lake?
- Roberds Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 632.29 acres.
What fish are in Roberds Lake?
- Fish species found in Roberds Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, crappie, freshwater drum, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, walleye, white bass, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Roberds Lake is located in Rice County, Minnesota.
When does Roberds Lake thaw?
- Roberds Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 242 days.
Does Roberds Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Roberds Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (731,139 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Roberds Lake?
- Roberds Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Roberds Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Roberds 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 Rice County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Roberds Lake
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Roberds Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
72 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
MNPCA72 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate