Snelling Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota103 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Snelling Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Snelling Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 143 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.5 ft. Surface area: 102.58 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2017 caught 8.50 northern pike per gill net at Snelling Lake. DNR survey details →
Snelling Lake is a 103-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Snelling Lake ranks #57 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Snelling Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing10 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Snelling Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Snelling Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Snelling Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Snelling Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 143 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 52 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 143µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 52µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 71 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Snelling Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Snelling Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Oct (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Snelling Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2017 caught 8.50 northern pike per gill net at Snelling Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Snelling Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-06 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2017-06-06 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.62 | 3–8 in 2017-06-06 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.27 | 6–11 in 2017-06-06 | 0.4 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 11.92 | 3–8 in 2017-06-06 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 10.82 | 3–7 in 2017-06-06 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 5.81 | 6–9 in 2017-06-06 | 0.36 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.90 | 13–14 in 2009-06-01 | 0.57 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Black Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2017-06-06 survey
Snelling Lake is located in Fort Snelling State Park, one of the most popular state parks in Minnesota. Shore fishing locations include a pier on the north end of the lake. Boat access is available on the southern end of the lake but gas engines are prohibited. This shallow class 43 lake is heavily vegetated with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Snelling Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SnellingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SnellingFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SnellingPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
9.5 ft
Surface area
103 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
99%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
16,914 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
692 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Snelling Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Snelling 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Snelling Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Snelling Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Snelling Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Snelling 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.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Snelling Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Snelling Lake (completed 1965), built primarily for recreation on the Minnesota River-TR; other-type dam, 15 ft tall and 6 ft long.
- Surface area
- 103 ac
- Normal storage
- 896 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,232 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Parks
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00521 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Snelling Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0001-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Snelling Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- UsafMinneapolis · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0052141
- 133RD Airlift WingSaint Paul · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0067407
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Snelling Lake
Where is Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake is a lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 143 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 52 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9.5 ft. Surface area: 102.58 acres.
Is Snelling Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Snelling Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake has a maximum depth of 9.5 feet. The lake covers 102.58 acres.
What fish are in Snelling Lake?
- Fish species found in Snelling Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Snelling Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Snelling Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2017 caught 8.50 northern pike per gill net at Snelling Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Snelling Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Snelling Lake?
- Public access to Snelling Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Snelling Lake across LakeQuality
2.6 mi away · 53 ft
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hennepin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Snelling Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA71 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder