Scott Lake
Scott Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 82.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 83 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Scott Lake →
Next lake in Wright County
Scott Lake is a 83-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Scott Lake ranks #42 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 45 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 110 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 45 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Scott Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Scott Lake in Wright 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 Scott Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Scott Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Scott 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 May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 129 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Scott Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 83 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| 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 Scott Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1997-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 28.76 | 0.48 lb |
| Black Crappie | 18.94 | 0.25 lb |
| Bluegill | 10.40 | 0.22 lb |
| White Sucker | 7.64 | 1.72 lb |
| GOS | 7.58 | 0.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.86 | 0.17 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
White Sucker
From the 1997-07-28 survey
Scott Lake, Wright County, is an 80 acre lake with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Alake survey conducted in 1997 sampled 14 species of fish. Scott Lake may bedescribed as a hard-water lake of good fertility and moderate water quality. Waterclarity as measured by secchi disk depth ranges from 1.0 to 4.4 feet in mid to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Scott Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ScottFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +9.5 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -7.78 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Scott 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 MN86-0297-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #42 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Scott Lake holds Grade F. 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 Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Scott Lake
What is the water quality grade for Scott Lake?
- Scott Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 110 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 82.7 acres.
Is Scott Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Scott Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 45 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Scott Lake?
- Scott Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 129 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Scott Lake?
- Scott Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 82.7 acres.
What fish are in Scott Lake?
- Fish species found in Scott Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Scott Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
Explore Scott Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA36 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder