Spring Lake
Meeker County, Minnesota164 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Spring Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
Spring Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2018 caught 10.83 northern pike per gill net at Spring Lake. DNR survey details →
Spring Lake is a 164-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spring Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. 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.
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 31.2 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 53µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 31.2µg/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. | 61 | 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.
Water Temperature
Spring Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (71°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2018 caught 10.83 northern pike 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, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-06-25 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2018-06-25 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 45.76 | 3–7 in 2018-06-25 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.64 | 5–6 in 2018-06-25 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.02 | 6–21 in 2018-06-25 | 0.95 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 7.33 | 12–14 in 2018-06-25 | 0.81 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 6.34 | 5–15 in 2018-06-25 | 0.68 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
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
Lake Details
Max depth
28 ft
Surface area
164 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
65%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,027 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Spring Lake are listed below.
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
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spring Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.31 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.73 µg/L/yr6 years
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.
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Spring Lake
Where is Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake is a lake in Meeker 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 Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spring Lake?
- Spring Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spring Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2018 caught 10.83 northern pike 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, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Spring Lake?
- Public access to Spring 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 Spring Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder