Sunset Lake
Washington County, Minnesota133 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Sunset Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 17 ft max depth
- Limited data
Sunset Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 133.14 acres.
Sunset Lake is a 133-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Sunset Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Sunset Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Sunset 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 Sunset Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Sunset Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.6µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Sunset Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Sunset Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 80°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 84°F) and coldest in Apr (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (84°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sunset Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
17 ft
Surface area
133 acres
Shoreline
2.5 mi
Littoral zone
93%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
958 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Sunset Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sunset Lake in Washington 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 Sunset Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sunset 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.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Mar 26, 2007 · Latest Apr 20, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 5
Earliest Nov 26, 2007 · Latest Dec 4, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 20
2008
8 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Sunset Lake
Where is Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 133.14 acres.
Is Sunset 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 Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 133.14 acres.
What fish are in Sunset Lake?
- Fish species found in Sunset Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Sunset Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
When does Sunset Lake thaw?
- Sunset Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Dec 5. The open water season is approximately 240 days.
Can I fish at Sunset Lake?
- Public access to Sunset Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Sunset Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
54 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA54 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate