Rush Lake
Rush Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 78.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.8 ft
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 78 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Pine County
Why Rush 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 Rush 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.
Rush Lake is a 78-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-10-15. 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 Rush Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Rush Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Rush Lake in Pine 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 Rush Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 78 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Rush Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1996-07-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.21 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.72 | 0.44 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.31 | 1.25 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.77 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 2.50 | 0.47 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.94 | 0.22 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 1996-07-01 survey
Rush Lake is a small (71.8 acre), clear, moderately soft water lake, with a maximum depth of 37 feet. It has had three surveys previous to this 1996 survey, 1949, 1967, and 1986. Survey catch rates of game fish species have been fairly typical for lakes of its type, except that yellow perch populations have…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Rush Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RushFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Rush (0363)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.153 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Rush 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 MN58-0067-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.61 km)
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Rush Lake
What is the water quality grade for Rush Lake?
- Rush Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 78.4 acres.
Is Rush Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Rush Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Rush Lake?
- Rush Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 78.4 acres.
What fish are in Rush Lake?
- Fish species found in Rush Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow perch. Rush Lake is located in Pine County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA9 samples · 2020–2023
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