St James Lake
St James Lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 15.4 ft
- Area
- 203 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
- Open water
- 258 days
Next lake in Watonwan County
St James Lake is a 203-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 with 1 public boat landing. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch St James Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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.
Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 16.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 51.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 16.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near St James Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near St James Lake in Watonwan 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 St James 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
St James Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 203 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- St. James LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing St James Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-03 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 41.39 | 0.51 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.35 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 19.18 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.03 | 1.45 lb |
| Common Carp | 10.30 | 2.4 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.38 | 0.29 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.111 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.43 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
Estimated open water season: 258 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-13 (2012) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-14 (2007) | 2020-12-29 (2020) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-05
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 4 lakes in Watonwan County
Nearby Lakes in Watonwan County
Frequently asked questions about St James Lake
What is the water quality grade for St James Lake?
- St James Lake in Watonwan County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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?
- Swim with caution, moderate algae may be present. St James Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 16.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of St James Lake?
- St James Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Are there boat ramps on St James Lake?
- St James Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include St. James Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore St James Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near St James Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate