Stoney Lake
Stoney Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 86.76 acres.
- Clarity
- 19 ft
- Max depth
- 58 ft
- Area
- 87 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Douglas County
Stoney Lake is a 87-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Stoney Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Stoney Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stoney Lake in Douglas 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 58 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 87 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 67% |
| Public Access | No |
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 Stoney 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
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 11.35 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.06 | 0.6 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.29 | 0.82 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.64 | 1.77 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.44 | 0.2 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.99 | 0.87 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
From the 2018-08-07 survey
North Union, Stony, and Lottie (Taylor) lakes form a chain of lakes between Brophy and Cowdry lakes in Douglas County. Stony Lake is the middle lake within the chain of lakes. Stony Lake discharges to Lottie Lake. None of these three small basins have public access sites, but anglers can utilize access sites on Cowdry…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stoney Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StonyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.164 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.73 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Stoney 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 MN21-0094-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.43 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Stoney Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stoney Lake?
- Stoney Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 86.76 acres.
Is Stoney Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Stoney Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Stoney Lake?
- Stoney Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 86.76 acres.
What fish are in Stoney Lake?
- Fish species found in Stoney Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Stoney Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2021–2022
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