Spring Lake
Spring Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 163.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 164 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- 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 Spring Lake →
Next lake in Meeker County
Spring Lake is a 164-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Spring Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Spring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spring Lake in Meeker 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 Spring Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Spring Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Spring Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in Oct (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 239 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spring Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 164 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 65% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spring Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-06-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.76 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.64 | 0.11 lb |
| BLH | 10.16 | 0.43 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.02 | 0.95 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 7.33 | 0.81 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 6.34 | 0.68 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
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
From the 2018-06-25 survey
A standard survey was conducted at Long Lake near Dassel, beginning on June 25, 2018, to monitor the fish population. Long is a class 34 lake and net catches were compared to similar lakes around the state. The 2014 lake management plan (LMP) listed Bluegill and Largemouth Bass as the primary management species while…
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 — LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.179 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.73 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Spring 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 MN47-0032-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Spring Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Dassel WwtpDassel · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MN0054127Recent 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.
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Spring 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.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
What is the water quality grade for Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 163.77 acres.
Is Spring 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. Spring Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 239 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 163.77 acres.
What fish are in Spring Lake?
- Fish species found in Spring Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Spring Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
Explore Spring Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
163 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
MNPCA163 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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