Shakopee Lake
Shakopee Lake in Chippewa County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 376.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 106.5 µg/L. Surface area: 261 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Mean depth
- ~7 ft est.
- Area
- 261 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- 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 Shakopee Lake →
Next lake in Chippewa County
Shakopee Lake is a 261-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Chippewa County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 7 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. 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.
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 1.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 376.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 106.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 79.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 376.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 106.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 79 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Shakopee Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shakopee Lake in Chippewa 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 Shakopee Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Shakopee Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Shakopee Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shakopee Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 261 acres |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Shakopee 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 Shakopee Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.161 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -125 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Shakopee Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Shakopee Lake (completed 1976), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Shakopee Creek; earth-type dam, 18 ft tall and 700 ft long.
- Surface area
- 261 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,401 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,401 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 202 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of Swift
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00888 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Shakopee 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 MN12-0030-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Chippewa County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Shakopee Lake holds Grade F. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Chippewa County
Frequently asked questions about Shakopee Lake
What is the water quality grade for Shakopee Lake?
- Shakopee Lake in Chippewa County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 376.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 106.5 µg/L. Surface area: 261 acres.
Is Shakopee 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. Shakopee Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 106.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Shakopee Lake?
- Shakopee Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Shakopee Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Shakopee Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 7 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 261 acres.
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Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA44 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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