Snelling Lake
Snelling Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 9.5 ft
- Area
- 103 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Snelling Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Snelling Lake is a 103-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2024. 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 with 1 public boat landing. 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. 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 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 143 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 52 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 143 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 52 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Snelling Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Snelling Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Snelling Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 103 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fort SnellingPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.62 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.27 | 0.4 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 11.92 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 10.82 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.81 | 0.36 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.90 | 0.57 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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.106 m/yr | 3 |
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #57 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Snelling 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.
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Snelling Lake
What is the water quality grade for Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Snelling Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 52 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, 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.
Are there boat ramps on Snelling Lake?
- Snelling Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fort Snelling. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Snelling Lake across LakeGrade
2.6 mi away · 53 ft
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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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory