Swan Lake
Swan Lake in McLeod County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 87 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 37.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 351.57 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 352 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 231 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Swan Lake →
Next lake in McLeod County
Swan Lake is a 352-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in McLeod County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in McLeod County, Swan Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 87 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 37.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 87 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 37.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Swan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Swan Lake in McLeod 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Swan Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Swan 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 →
Water Temperature
Swan Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Swan Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Swan Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (731,139 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 352 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Swan Lake (Northwest)Public
- Swan Lake (East)Public
- Silver LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Swan Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 75.96 | 0.41 lb |
| Black Crappie | 61.23 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 36.39 | 1.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.25 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.00 | 0.13 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 14.56 | — |
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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Walleye
Bluegill
From the 2025-10-07 survey
Swan is a small-sized lake (351 acres) located northwest of the Town of Silver Lake in McLeod County. A state-owned access with a small gravel parking area and a single cement boat ramp is present on the east shore. A small fishing dock is also present at the east access. A larger, county-owned access, is available on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Swan Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SwanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SwanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SwanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (82 observations).
Estimated open water season: 231 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-07 (2000) | 2013-04-29 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-01 (1991) | 1982-12-18 (1982) |
Most recent ice-out: 2013-04-29
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 5 lakes in McLeod County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Swan Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in McLeod County
Frequently asked questions about Swan Lake
What is the water quality grade for Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake in McLeod County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 87 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 37.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 351.57 acres.
Is Swan Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Swan Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 37.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 351.57 acres.
What fish are in Swan Lake?
- Fish species found in Swan Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Swan Lake is located in McLeod County, Minnesota.
When does Swan Lake thaw?
- Swan Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 231 days.
Does Swan Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Swan Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (731,139 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Swan Lake?
- Swan Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Swan Lake (Northwest), Swan Lake (East), Silver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Swan Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in McLeod County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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