Tanners Lake
Tanners Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 74.39 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 74 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Washington County
Tanners Lake is a 74-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, Tanners Lake ranks #34 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Tanners Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tanners 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.
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Water Temperature
Tanners Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 60°F) and coldest in Jan (about 36°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,937 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tanners Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft |
| Surface Area | 74 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tanners Lake ParkPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Tanners Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-08-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.64 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.37 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.90 | 0.73 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.70 | 0.1 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.19 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.74 | 0.15 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
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2011-08-01 survey
Bluegills are the most abundant species in Tanners Lake. The population is considered average when comparing similar lakes. The average size found was 5.26 inches. Only 27.8% of the bluegills sampled exceeded 6 inches in length. Black crappies were also sampled in average abundance. Their average size was 6.17 inches.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Tanners Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TannersFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — TannersFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TannersPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.041 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.75 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.46 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Tanners Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN82-0115-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Tanners Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Tanners Lake Alum WtpMaplewood · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0067661
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #34 of 75 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about Tanners Lake
What is the water quality grade for Tanners Lake?
- Tanners Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 74.39 acres.
Is Tanners Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Tanners Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Tanners Lake?
- Tanners Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 1,937 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tanners Lake?
- Tanners Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 74.39 acres.
What fish are in Tanners Lake?
- Fish species found in Tanners Lake include black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Tanners Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Tanners Lake?
- Tanners Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tanners Lake Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Tanners Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
1,285 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1,285 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory