Stony Lake
Stony Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 86.76 acres.
- Max depth
- 58 ft
- Area
- 87 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Douglas County
Why Stony Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Stony Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Stony Lake is a 87-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet (10-foot average). 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.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-05-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Stony Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Stony Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Stony Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stony 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Stony 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 →
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 Stony 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 Stony 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
Stony 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 (2.39 km)
Graded lakes near Stony Lake
Stony Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Stony Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stony Lake?
- Stony Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 86.76 acres.
Is Stony Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Stony Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Stony Lake?
- Stony 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 Stony Lake?
- Fish species found in Stony Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead. Stony Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Explore Stony Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Alexandria Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Stony Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1 sample · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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