Shields Lake
Shields Lake in Rice County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 940.49 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 940 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 5
- Open water
- 240 days
Next lake in Rice County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Shields Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Shields Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Shields Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Shields Lake is a 940-acre lake in Rice County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Shields Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 64.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 64 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Shields Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shields Lake in Rice 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Shields Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 940 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 70% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shields LakePublic
- McCullough County Park CampgroundPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shields 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 24.84 | 0.15 lb |
| White Crappie | 22.75 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 21.55 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 20.74 | 0.77 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 16.03 | 1.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.00 | 0.27 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Freshwater Drum
From the 2023-09-13 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff delineated the floating leaf and emergent aquatic vegetation of Shields lake 09/13/2023, following the protocols listed in the MN DNR Lake Plant Mapping Manual. There were a total of 75.3 acres of floating and emergent plants mapped. This consisted of 18.5 acres of emergent…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shields Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShieldsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ShieldsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShieldsPublic 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 | +0.031 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (148 observations).
Estimated open water season: 240 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-01 (2024) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-14 (2018) | 2004-12-19 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-26
EPA Impairment Status
Shields 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 MN66-0055-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Shields Lake
Shields Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Rice County
Frequently asked questions about Shields Lake
What is the water quality grade for Shields Lake?
- Shields Lake in Rice County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 940.49 acres.
Is Shields Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Shields Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Shields Lake?
- Shields Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 940.49 acres.
What fish are in Shields Lake?
- Fish species found in Shields Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Shields Lake is located in Rice County, Minnesota.
When does Shields Lake thaw?
- Shields Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 5. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Are there boat ramps on Shields Lake?
- Shields Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shields Lake, McCullough County Park Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shields 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 Rice County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
52 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
MNPCA52 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate