Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 450.02 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Max depth
- 28 ft
- Area
- 450 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 29
- Open water
- 250 days
Next lake in Ramsey County
Turtle Lake is a 450-acre mesotrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet (12-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 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Turtle Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria B
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Turtle Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.2% of 92 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Turtle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Turtle Lake in Ramsey 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 Turtle Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Turtle Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (48,753 cells/mL) on October 25, 2025.
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 | 28 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 450 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Turtle LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Turtle 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 124.31 | — |
| SFS | 28.05 | — |
| BKS | 21.00 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.76 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.51 | 1.04 lb |
| JND | 7.53 | — |
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
From the 2025-07-21 survey
Turtle Lake is located in Shoreview and is categorized as lake class 24. It has a surface acreage of 409 acres with 245 acres being littoral (60%) and a maximum depth of 28 feet. Most of the shoreline is developed as single-family homes. Ramsey County Parks operates a popular park facility in the southeast corner of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Turtle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — TurtleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TurtlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.157 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.71 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 250 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-04 (2024) | 2014-04-21 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-28 (2022) | 2015-12-28 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-29
EPA Impairment Status
Turtle 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 MN62-0061-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 450.02 acres.
Is Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Turtle Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.2% of 92 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Turtle Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
How deep is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 450.02 acres.
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
- Fish species found in Turtle Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Turtle Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Turtle Lake thaw?
- Turtle Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 29. Ice typically forms around Dec 4. The open water season is approximately 250 days.
Does Turtle Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Turtle Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (48,753 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Turtle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Turtle Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Turtle Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Turtle Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
360 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
MNPCA360 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
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