Spring Lake
Dakota County, Minnesota1,494 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Spring Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 6 aquatic invasives
- 17 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Spring Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 1494.16 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2001 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Spring Lake. DNR survey details →
Spring Lake is a 1,494-acre lake in Dakota County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake supports 21 documented fish species including American eel, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-10-05. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Spring Lake covers about 1,500 acres in Dakota County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Spring Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Spring Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing21 species recorded
- Big water1,494 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spring 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 Spring Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Spring 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 2.1 ft of visibility. TSI 66.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 66 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Spring Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2001 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Spring Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spring Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-07-30 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2001-07-30 (Standard Survey)
25 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Carp | 4.35 | 15–27 in 2001-07-30 | 2.86 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 4.28 | 5–26 in 2001-07-30 | 1.6 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.
Common Carp
Channel Catfish
From the 2001-07-30 survey
Spring Lake contains a wide array of fish species due to its direct connection to the Mississippi River. Riverine species such as carp, freshwater drum, mooneye, goldeye, and various redhorse species are abundant. Channel catfish were the most abundant gamefish sampled for the third straight survey. Individuals up to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spring Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpringPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
1,494 acres
Shoreline
18.4 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Spring Lake ParkPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Spring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spring Lake in Dakota 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 Spring 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 Spring 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 Spring 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.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Spring Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Met Council - Eagles Point WwtpCottage Grove · 2.5 mi away · NPDES MN0029904MajorRecent violation
- 3M Cottage Grove CenterCottage Grove · 2.9 mi away · NPDES MN0001449MajorRecent violation
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 Dakota County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
Where is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake is a lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 1494.16 acres.
Is Spring Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 1494.16 acres.
What fish are in Spring Lake?
- Fish species found in Spring Lake include American eel, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, flathead catfish, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, golden redhorse, goldeye, mooneye, northern pike, quillback, river carpsucker, sauger, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth buffalo, walleye, white bass, white crappie. Spring Lake is located in Dakota County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spring Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2001 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Spring Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spring Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spring Lake Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Spring Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Dakota County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Spring Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory