Scandinavian Lake
Scandinavian Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 417.14 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 49 ft
- Area
- 417 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
Next lake in Pope County
Scandinavian Lake is a 417-acre mesotrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 49 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Scandinavian Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Scandinavian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Scandinavian Lake in Pope 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
Scandinavian Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Scandinavian Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 49 ft |
| Average Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 417 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 55% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Scandinavian LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Scandinavian 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.85 | 0.12 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.95 | 0.89 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 9.09 | 0.07 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.03 | 0.13 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.91 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.21 | 2.19 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
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-15 survey
Scandinavian Lake is a 417 acre basin located 14 miles south of Glenwood. The lake has a maximum depth of 50.0 feet and average depth is estimated at 11.0 feet. Water quality is good and in response, aquatic vegetation is abundant. Aquatic vegetation provides important habitat to vegetation-oriented fish species such…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Scandinavian Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ScandinavianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ScandinavianFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ScandinavianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.092 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-28 (2017) | 2008-04-24 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-12 (2018) | 2007-11-23 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-03-28
EPA Impairment Status
Scandinavian 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 MN61-0041-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Scandinavian Lake
What is the water quality grade for Scandinavian Lake?
- Scandinavian Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 417.14 acres.
Is Scandinavian Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Scandinavian Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Scandinavian Lake?
- Scandinavian Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Scandinavian Lake?
- Scandinavian Lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 417.14 acres.
What fish are in Scandinavian Lake?
- Fish species found in Scandinavian Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Scandinavian Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
When does Scandinavian Lake thaw?
- Scandinavian Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Are there boat ramps on Scandinavian Lake?
- Scandinavian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Scandinavian Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Scandinavian 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 Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Scandinavian Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
64 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
MNPCA64 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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