Roger Lake
Roger Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 239.99 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 64 ft
- Area
- 240 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Roger 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 Roger Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. 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.
Roger Lake is a 240-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 64 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-30. 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 Roger Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Roger Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Roger Lake in Crow Wing 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 Roger Lake
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Water Temperature
Roger Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2016–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Roger Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 64 ft |
| Surface Area | 240 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Roger LakePublic
- Upper Dean LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Roger Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.95 | — |
| Bluegill | 22.71 | 0.25 lb |
| JND | 15.01 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 14.09 | 0.5 lb |
| GOS | 13.11 | — |
| BNS | 10.08 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-08-14 survey
Rogers is a 240-acre lake located 30 miles northeast of Brainerd in Crow Wing County. It has a maximum depth of 64 feet, 83 acres of littoral area, and 2.54 miles of shoreline. A near-shore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. A total of 10 sampling stations were…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Roger Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RogersFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Rogers (0394)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RogersPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.214 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-21 (2012) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-26 (2014) | 2015-12-14 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-25
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Roger Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Rogers Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation, 8 ft tall and 11 ft long.
- Surface area
- 300 ac
- Normal storage
- 200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 200 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.75 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Undetermined
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01116 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.43 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Roger 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 MN18-0170-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.82 km)
Graded lakes near Roger Lake
Roger Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Roger Lake
What is the water quality grade for Roger Lake?
- Roger Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 239.99 acres.
Is Roger Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Roger Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Roger Lake?
- Roger Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Roger Lake?
- Roger Lake has a maximum depth of 64 feet. The lake covers 239.99 acres.
What fish are in Roger Lake?
- Fish species found in Roger Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Roger Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Roger Lake thaw?
- Roger Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Are there boat ramps on Roger Lake?
- Roger Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Roger Lake, Upper Dean Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Roger Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
10 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
MNPCA10 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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