Sugar Lake
Wright County, Minnesota1,014 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sugar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 69 ft max depth
- Public access
Sugar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 1014.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2025 caught 4.36 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Sugar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Sugar Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Sugar Lake is a 1,014-acre mesotrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 69 feet (25-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Sugar Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Sugar Lake covers about 1,000 acres in Wright County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 20, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Sugar Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Sugar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water69 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,014 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Sugar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sugar 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 Sugar Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sugar Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.5 ft down. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.3 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sugar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sugar Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in Oct (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 83 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sugar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2025 caught 4.36 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Sugar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sugar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-08 (Targeted Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 36.45 | 1–2 in 2007-07-16 | |
| Bluegill | 32.94 | 1–9 in 2021-07-19 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 26.55 | 5–20 in 2021-07-19 | 0.6 lb |
| Muskellunge | 19.37 | 33–50 in 2023-05-01 | 15.05 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 9.91 | 3 in 2016-07-18 | 0.02 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.
Bluntnose Minnow
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Muskellunge
From the 2025-07-08 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sugar Lake was conducted on July 8-9th, 2025, by Area Fisheries 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 electrofishing was completed at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sugar Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SugarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sugar (2012)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SugarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SugarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
69 ft
Average depth
25.1 ft
Surface area
1,014 acres
Shoreline
8.7 mi
Littoral zone
35%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
11 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
978 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sugar Lake (North)Public
- Sugar Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sugar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sugar Lake in Wright 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 Sugar 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 Sugar Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sugar 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.25 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 17, 2016 · Latest May 4, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 5
Earliest Nov 27, 2013 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 22
2022
27 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Sugar 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0233-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Sugar Lake
Where is Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake is a lake in Wright County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 1014.21 acres.
Is Sugar Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Sugar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 83 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake has a maximum depth of 69 feet and an average depth of 25.1 feet. The lake covers 1014.21 acres.
What fish are in Sugar Lake?
- Fish species found in Sugar Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sugar Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sugar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 8, 2025 caught 4.36 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Sugar Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–20 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sugar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Sugar Lake thaw?
- Sugar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Dec 5. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sugar Lake (North), Sugar Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sugar Lake?
- Sugar Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Sugar 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 Wright 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
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State Parks Near Sugar Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Sugar Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
122 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA122 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 (3)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate