Snail Lake
Snail Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 158.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 158 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 239 days
Next lake in Ramsey County
Snail Lake is a 158-acre mesotrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Snail Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-18. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Snail Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Snail Lake in Ramsey 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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Water Temperature
Snail Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 67°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 742 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Snail Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 158 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 82% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Snail LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Snail 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 26.42 | 0.1 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 14.76 | 0.31 lb |
| BKF | 11.13 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 10.62 | 0.39 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.07 | 1.68 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.33 | 0.13 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.
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
From the 2016-07-12 survey
Snail Lake is a 148 acre class 38 lake located in northern Ramsey County. Snail Lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike, with Walleye and Bluegill as secondary management species. Walleye fry are stocked biennially at a rate of 2,000 per littoral acre (260,000 fry). Snail Lake experienced a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Snail Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SnailFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SnailFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SnailPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.214 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.91 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.55 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (23 observations).
Estimated open water season: 239 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2014-04-21 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-21 (2014) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-03
EPA Impairment Status
Snail 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 MN62-0073-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Snail Lake
What is the water quality grade for Snail Lake?
- Snail Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 158.43 acres.
Is Snail Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Snail Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Snail Lake?
- Snail Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 742 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Snail Lake?
- Snail Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 158.43 acres.
What fish are in Snail Lake?
- Fish species found in Snail Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Snail Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Snail Lake thaw?
- Snail Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Are there boat ramps on Snail Lake?
- Snail Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Snail Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Snail Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
758 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA758 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
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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