Star Lake
Meeker County, Minnesota553 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Star Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
Star Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 552.86 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.44 walleye per gill net at Star Lake. DNR survey details →
Star Lake is a 553-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Star Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Star Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 5
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Star Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Star 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 Star Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Star 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 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 34.7 µg/L. TSI 69.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 63.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 34.7µg/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. | 69 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Star Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Star Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 113 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Star Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Star Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (636,796 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.44 walleye per gill net at Star Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Star 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-10 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 114.87 | 4–13 in 2023-07-10 | 0.42 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 35.50 | 7–14 in 2017-06-12 | 0.7 lb |
| Black Crappie | 24.55 | 4–11 in 2023-07-10 | 0.24 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.83 | 3–7 in 2023-07-10 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.82 | 18 in 2023-07-10 | 2.01 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.60 | 7–38 in 2023-07-10 | 2.95 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
Brown Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Star is a moderate sized lake (552 acres) located southwest of the City of Litchfield in Meeker County. A state-owned access with paved parking and a single cement boat ramp is present on the southeast shore. Star has approximately ten miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of fifteen feet. The Minnesota Department of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Star Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
553 acres
Shoreline
9.6 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Star LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Star 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 Star Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Star 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 Star Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Star Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-13.86 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 5
Earliest Mar 8, 2000 · Latest Nov 20, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 23
Earliest Nov 7, 2003 · Latest Dec 30, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 19
2023
53 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Star 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0129-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Star Lake
Where is Star Lake?
- Star 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 Star Lake?
- Star Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 63.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 34.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 552.86 acres.
Is Star Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Star Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Star Lake?
- Star Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 113 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Star Lake?
- Star Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 552.86 acres.
What fish are in Star Lake?
- Fish species found in Star Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch. Star Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Star Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 10, 2023 caught 2.44 walleye per gill net at Star Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Star 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.
When does Star Lake thaw?
- Star Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 5. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 232 days.
Does Star Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Star Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (636,796 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Star Lake?
- Star Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Star Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Star Lake?
- Star Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Star 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 Meeker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Star Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Star Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
251 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA251 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 (4)
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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate