Scandinavian Lake
Scandinavian Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
Next lake in Pope County
Scandinavian Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Scandinavian Lake ranks #4 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 onlyLow algae
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 7.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Scandinavian Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Scandinavian Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.12 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.55 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.33 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #4 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: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L.
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 6.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Scandinavian Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Scandinavian Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 9 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Scandinavian Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA59 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder