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C

Spring Lake

Meeker County, MinnesotaEutrophic

Spring Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

At a TSI of 60, Spring Lake reads as eutrophic — nutrient-rich enough that summer algal growth and reduced clarity are expected, not unusual. A maximum depth of 28 ft puts Spring Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. The lake's 164 acres and 3.6 miles of shoreline put it in the mid-range bucket — large enough for varied use, small enough that watershed inputs reach the whole basin. Spring Lake ranks 11 of 23 in Meeker County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Spring Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 12 documented species across the lake's records. A documented public access point at Spring Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

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Swimming Safety

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Water Quality Grade: C, Fair

Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 50 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)3.6 ftD
Phosphorus50 µg/LC
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)60Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth28 ft
Surface Area163.77 acres
Shoreline Length3.6 mi
Littoral Zone65%
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

black bullhead,black crappie,bluegill,bowfin (dogfish),brown bullhead,green sunfish,hybrid sunfish,largemouth bass,northern pike,pumpkinseed,yellow bullhead,yellow perch

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Spring Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Spring Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Spring Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.11 m/yr5
Phosphorus Improving-1.65 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #11 of 23 lakes in Meeker County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Spring Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher grade.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Meeker County

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-06-25 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill45.760.11 lb
Yellow Perch14.640.11 lb
BLH10.160.43 lb
Largemouth Bass10.020.95 lb
Brown Bullhead7.330.81 lb
Yellow Bass6.340.68 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

1,157 fish · 37 in · 2018-06-25
461231034567

Yellow Perch

7 fish · 56 in · 2018-06-25
63056

Largemouth Bass

77 fish · 621 in · 2018-06-25
1580trophy 2068101214161820

Brown Bullhead

3 fish · 1214 in · 2018-06-25
10121314

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…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spring Lake. 2 reports on file.

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

MercuryNutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0032-00 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Most recent sample: 2024-10-14

Monitoring stations: 2