St James Lake
Watonwan County, Minnesota203 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for St James Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
St James Lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.4 ft. Surface area: 202.76 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 3, 2025 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at St James Lake. DNR survey details →
St James Lake is a 203-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is declining 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 3 other monitored lakes in Watonwan County, St James Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What St James Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 7
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. St James Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether St James 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 St James Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for St James 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 16.3 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 51.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 16.3µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about St James Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
St James Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 189 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full St James Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 3, 2025 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at St James Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows St James Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-03 (Standard Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-03 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 41.39 | 7–12 in 2025-06-03 | 0.51 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.35 | 4–8 in 2025-06-03 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 19.18 | 4–9 in 2025-06-03 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.03 | 3–21 in 2025-06-03 | 1.45 lb |
| Common Carp | 10.30 | 14–24 in 2025-06-03 | 2.4 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.38 | 6 in 2021-05-26 | 0.29 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-06-03 survey
St. James Lake is a 252-acre, class 42 lake located in the City of St. James in Watonwan County. The Lake has a maximum depth of 15.4 ft. Winterkills in the mid-1990's suppressed gamefish populations, allowing rough fish to thrive, eventually changing the lake from a clear water state to a turbid state. In 2001, a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for St James Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — St. JamesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — St. JamesFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — St. JamesPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15.4 ft
Surface area
203 acres
Shoreline
3.7 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,070 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near St James Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near St James Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing St James Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.43 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.29 µg/L/yr4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 7
Earliest Mar 13, 2012 · Latest Apr 29, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 21
Earliest Nov 14, 2007 · Latest Dec 29, 2020
Most recent ice-out
Apr 5
2022
16 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
St James Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN83-0043-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of St James Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Saint James WwtpSaint James · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0024759MajorRecent 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 Watonwan County
Frequently asked questions about St James Lake
Where is St James Lake?
- St James Lake is a lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of St James Lake?
- St James Lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15.4 ft. Surface area: 202.76 acres.
Is St James Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. St James Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of St James Lake?
- St James Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 189 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is St James Lake?
- St James Lake has a maximum depth of 15.4 feet. The lake covers 202.76 acres.
What fish are in St James Lake?
- Fish species found in St James Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. St James Lake is located in Watonwan County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at St James Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 3, 2025 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at St James Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows St James Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does St James Lake thaw?
- St James Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Dec 21. The open water season is approximately 258 days.
Can I fish at St James Lake?
- Public access to St James 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 St James Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Watonwan County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
147 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
MNPCA147 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate