Sullivan Lake
Wright County, Minnesota71 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sullivan Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 58 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Sullivan Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 70.58 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2020 caught 9.33 northern pike per gill net at Sullivan Lake. DNR survey details →
Sullivan Lake is a 71-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Sullivan Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 3
- Deep water58 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sullivan 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 Sullivan Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sullivan Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Sullivan Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sullivan Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 56°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 59°F) and coldest in May (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (59°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2017–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sullivan Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2020 caught 9.33 northern pike per gill net at Sullivan Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sullivan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-07-06 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2020-07-06 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 27.70 | 3–7 in 2020-07-06 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 13.52 | 6–12 in 2020-07-06 | 0.48 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.04 | 10–12 in 2020-07-06 | 0.63 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.14 | 2–7 in 2020-07-06 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.60 | 5–10 in 2020-07-06 | 0.2 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 4.96 | 12 in 2020-07-06 | 0.68 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Black Bullhead
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2020-07-06 survey
Sullivan Lake is a small (73 acre), highly developed lake located between Buffalo and Maple Lake in Wright County. The lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet with moderate water quality with an average summer water clarity of seven (7) feet. There is one (1) public access located on the east side of the lake. A lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sullivan Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SullivanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sullivan (2004)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SullivanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
58 ft
Average depth
15.5 ft
Surface area
71 acres
Shoreline
1.7 mi
Littoral zone
58%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
961 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sullivan 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 Sullivan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan 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 Sullivan Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 3
Earliest Mar 15, 2016 · Latest Apr 23, 2008
Most recent ice-out
Apr 2
2020
4 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Sullivan Lake
Where is Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan 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 Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 70.58 acres.
Is Sullivan Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet and an average depth of 15.5 feet. The lake covers 70.58 acres.
What fish are in Sullivan Lake?
- Fish species found in Sullivan Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sullivan Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sullivan Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2020 caught 9.33 northern pike per gill net at Sullivan Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Sullivan Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Sullivan Lake thaw?
- Sullivan Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3.
Are there boat ramps on Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sullivan Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Sullivan Lake?
- Sullivan 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 Sullivan Lake across LakeQuality
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
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Sullivan Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
53 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA53 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
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