Stahl'S Lake
Stahl'S Lake in McLeod County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 129 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 140.57 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 141 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Stahl'S Lake →
Next lake in McLeod County
Stahl'S Lake is a 141-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in McLeod County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2023. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in McLeod County, Stahl'S Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 129 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 129 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Stahl'S Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stahl'S Lake in McLeod 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 Stahl'S Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Stahl'S Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Stahl'S Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 50 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stahl'S Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 141 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 60% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stahl LakePublic
- Cedar LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stahl'S Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-02 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 39.49 | 0.42 lb |
| Bluegill | 37.32 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.50 | 0.11 lb |
| White Crappie | 13.10 | 0.2 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.16 | 0.71 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.27 | 0.23 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
Brown Bullhead
From the 2018-07-02 survey
A standard survey was conducted at Stahl's Lake on July 2, 2018, to monitor the lake's fish population and evaluate the Walleye stocking regime. Stahl's is a class 24 lake and net catches were compared to similar lakes around the state. The 2014 lake management plan (LMP) listed Bluegill and Largemouth Bass as primary…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stahl'S Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Stahl'sFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Stahl'sFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Stahl'sPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Stahl'S 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 MN43-0104-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in McLeod County
Nearby Lakes in McLeod County
Frequently asked questions about Stahl'S Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stahl'S Lake?
- Stahl'S Lake in McLeod County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 129 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 140.57 acres.
Is Stahl'S Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Stahl'S Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Stahl'S Lake?
- Stahl'S Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 50 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stahl'S Lake?
- Stahl'S Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 140.57 acres.
What fish are in Stahl'S Lake?
- Fish species found in Stahl'S Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Stahl'S Lake is located in McLeod County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Stahl'S Lake?
- Stahl'S Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stahl Lake, Cedar Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Stahl'S Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory