Taft Lake
Taft Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 13.55 acres.
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 14 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 1
Next lake in Hennepin County
Why Taft Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Taft Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Taft Lake is a 14-acre lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-05-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Taft Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Taft Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Taft Lake in Hennepin 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 Taft Lake
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Water Temperature
Taft Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 76°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 135 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Taft Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 14 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 32% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Taft Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 37.66 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.31 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.59 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.95 | 0.08 lb |
| White Crappie | 4.81 | 0.2 lb |
| Common Carp | 3.67 | 2.01 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2017-08-07 survey
Taft Lake is a 12.4-acre lake located in the City of Richfield. This pond has been managed as a Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN) pond since 2002 and is regularly stocked with Bluegill and Yellow Perch. In 2016, the City of Richfield in collaboration with FiN, installed several updates to improve fishing access at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Taft Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TaftFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — TaftFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.212 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.89 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.67 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-02 (2024) | 2018-04-27 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-02
EPA Impairment Status
Taft 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 MN27-0683-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
4 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Taft Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Taft Lake Flocculation Treatment FacilityRichfield · 0.2 mi away · NPDES MN0070173Recent violation
- Delta Air Lines IncMinneapolis · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MN0054194Recent violation
- Metropolitan Airports CommissionWoodland · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MN0002101
- Mpls/St Paul Airport GwpMinneapolis · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0065404
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Taft Lake
Taft Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Taft Lake
What is the water quality grade for Taft Lake?
- Taft Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 13.55 acres.
Is Taft Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Taft Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Taft Lake?
- Taft Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 135 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Taft Lake?
- Taft Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 13.55 acres.
What fish are in Taft Lake?
- Fish species found in Taft Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tiger muskellunge, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Taft Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
When does Taft Lake thaw?
- Taft Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 1.
Explore Taft Lake across LakeGrade
2.4 mi away · 53 ft
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate