Round Lake
Jackson County, Minnesota930 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Round Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
Round Lake in Jackson County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 77 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 929.85 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Round Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–8 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Round Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 7 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Round Lake is a 930-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Jackson County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet (8-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 5 other monitored lakes in Jackson County, Round Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Round Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing17 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Round Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Round Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Round Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Round Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 77 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.7 µg/L. TSI 64.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 77µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 14.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 64 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Round Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Round Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Round Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Round Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (376,704 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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Round Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–8 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Round Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
26 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey).
26 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 30.02 | 4–8 in 2025-10-07 | 1.66 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.10 | 13 in 2025-08-18 | 0.84 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.47 | 6–11 in 2025-08-18 | 0.32 lb |
| Black Crappie | 9.13 | 2–13 in 2025-08-18 | 0.47 lb |
| White Bass | 8.64 | 5–17 in 2025-08-18 | 0.8 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2025-10-07 survey
Round Lake is a 930-acre lake, located in Jackson County approximately 9 miles southeast of the City of Worthington. Round Lake was part of a research project that evaluated the performance of two strains of Walleye, the Lower Mississippi Strain (LMS) and the Mississippi Strain (MIS), from 2018 to 2022. However,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Round Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RoundFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RoundFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RoundPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Average depth
8 ft
Surface area
930 acres
Shoreline
5 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,509 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Round Lake (South)Public
- Round Lake (East)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Round Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Round Lake in Jackson 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Round Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Round Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Round 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.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+26 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.9 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Round Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN32-0069-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Round Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Round LakeRound Lake · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0051713
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.
Nearby Lakes in Jackson County
Frequently asked questions about Round Lake
Where is Round Lake?
- Round Lake is a lake in Jackson County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Round Lake?
- Round Lake in Jackson County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 77 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 929.85 acres.
Is Round Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Round Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Round Lake?
- Round Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Round Lake?
- Round Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet and an average depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 929.85 acres.
What fish are in Round Lake?
- Fish species found in Round Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, quillback, river redhorse, shortnose gar, walleye, white bass, white crappie, white sucker, yellow perch. Round Lake is located in Jackson County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Round Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 18, 2025 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Round Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–8 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Round Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Round Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Round Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (376,704 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Round Lake?
- Round Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Round Lake (South), Round Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Round Lake?
- Round Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Round Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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