Staring Lake
Staring Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 167.14 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 16 ft
- Area
- 167 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Staring Lake →
Next lake in Hennepin County
Staring Lake is a 167-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Staring Lake ranks #77 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 45.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 72 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 45.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Staring Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Staring Lake in Hennepin 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 Staring Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Staring 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
Staring Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Mar (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 493 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Staring Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 167 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 87% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Staring Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 43.62 | 0.29 lb |
| Bluegill | 42.16 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.78 | 0.11 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.89 | 0.1 lb |
| White Crappie | 7.07 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.83 | 2.9 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
Green Sunfish
From the 2022-06-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Staring Lake was conducted on June 21, 2022, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Staring Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StaringFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StaringFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StaringPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.03 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.29 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Staring Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0078-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #77 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Staring Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Staring Lake
What is the water quality grade for Staring Lake?
- Staring Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 167.14 acres.
Is Staring Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Staring Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 45.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Staring Lake?
- Staring Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 493 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Staring Lake?
- Staring Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 167.14 acres.
What fish are in Staring Lake?
- Fish species found in Staring Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Staring Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
230 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA230 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 (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