Schmidt Lake
Schmidt Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 44.66 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 25 ft
- Area
- 45 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Schmidt Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Schmidt Lake is a 45-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Schmidt Lake ranks #45 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 60.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 14.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 60.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Schmidt Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Schmidt Lake in Hennepin 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Schmidt Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Schmidt Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Schmidt Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Apr (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 422 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Schmidt Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 45 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 76% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Schmidt 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-08-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 48.12 | 0.22 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.04 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.17 | 0.17 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 4.00 | 0.35 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.50 | 2.79 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 1.87 | 0.07 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1990-08-08 survey
NORTHERN PIKE WERE SAMPLED AT LEVELS HIGHER THAN LOCAL MEDIANS FOR NUMBER PER SET, BUT POUNDS PER SET WAS VERY CLOSE TO LOCAL MEDIANS. THE BLACK BULLHEAD POPULATION IS HIGHER THAN LOCAL MEDIANS FOR NUMBERS WHILE BEING ONLY ABOUT 1/3 LOCAL MEDIANS FOR POUNDS PER SET. BLUEGILL AND BLACK CRAPPIE NUMBERS WERE SAMPLED NEAR…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Schmidt Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SchmidtFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SchmidtFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.067 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +6.23 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.25 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-03-25 (2015) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2003-11-16 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2021-03-27
EPA Impairment Status
Schmidt Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0103-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.74 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #45 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Schmidt Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Schmidt Lake
What is the water quality grade for Schmidt Lake?
- Schmidt Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 60.6 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 44.66 acres.
Is Schmidt Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Schmidt Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 14.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Schmidt Lake?
- Schmidt Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 422 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Schmidt Lake?
- Schmidt Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 44.66 acres.
When does Schmidt Lake thaw?
- Schmidt Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10.
Explore Schmidt Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
123 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA123 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate