Sunrise Lake
Sunrise Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 795.69 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 796 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Chisago County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Sunrise Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Sunrise Lake is a 796-acre mesotrophic lake in Chisago County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (4-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 29 other monitored lakes in Chisago County, Sunrise Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 9.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sunrise Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sunrise Lake in Chisago 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 Sunrise Lake
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Water Temperature
Sunrise Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sunrise Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 4 ft |
| Surface Area | 796 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 89% |
| 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 Sunrise Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-08-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.37 | 0.12 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 21.37 | 0.93 lb |
| Black Crappie | 19.70 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.75 | 0.74 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.45 | 1.04 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.18 | 0.13 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
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Yellow Bass
From the 2008-08-11 survey
Sunrise is a shallow, 742 acre lake located 3 miles north of Lindstrom, MN. The lake's turbidity and fertility is high while lakeshore development and fishing pressure is light. The maximum depth is 21 feet but only 4% of the lake exceeds 15 feet. Purchase and development of a public access is a management priority. A…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sunrise Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SunriseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.5 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -11.6 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sunrise 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 MN13-0032-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.15 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 30 lakes in Chisago County
Nearby Lakes in Chisago County
Frequently asked questions about Sunrise Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sunrise Lake?
- Sunrise Lake in Chisago County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.4 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 795.69 acres.
Is Sunrise Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Sunrise Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sunrise Lake?
- Sunrise Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sunrise Lake?
- Sunrise Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 4 feet. The lake covers 795.69 acres.
What fish are in Sunrise Lake?
- Fish species found in Sunrise Lake include black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, sunfish, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sunrise Lake is located in Chisago County, Minnesota.
Explore Sunrise Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Chisago County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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