Twin Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota217 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 44 ft max depth
- Public access
Twin Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 80.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 217.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2018 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
Twin Lake is a 217-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Twin Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Twin Lake covers about 220 acres in Hennepin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is March 28, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Twin Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 28
- Deep water44 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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 Twin 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 Twin Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Twin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 80.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 23.4 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 80.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 23.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Twin Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (65°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 256 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Twin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2018 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Twin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-06-11 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2018-06-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 40.41 | 3–7 in 2018-06-11 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 25.25 | 3–7 in 2018-06-11 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.83 | 5–23 in 2018-06-11 | 0.37 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.73 | 5–10 in 2018-06-11 | 0.1 lb |
| Common Carp | 5.56 | 17–20 in 2018-06-11 | 2.81 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.49 | 19–33 in 2018-06-11 | 2.5 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-06-11 survey
Twin Lake is a 217-acre lake in Hennepin County. Twin Lake consists of three distinct basins that are connected by navigable channels. Although this survey treats the lake as one waterbody, the three basins are different from one another. The south and middle basins have less algae and vegetation, with maximum depths…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Twin Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
44 ft
Surface area
217 acres
Shoreline
6.6 mi
Littoral zone
79%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
846 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Twin LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Twin 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Twin Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Twin Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Twin Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Twin 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.
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2020–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+15.75 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+9.95 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 28
Earliest Mar 24, 2021 · Latest Apr 27, 2014
Most recent ice-out
Mar 24
2021
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Twin Lake
Where is Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake is a lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 80.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 217.41 acres.
Is Twin 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 Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in September, from 256 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet. The lake covers 217.41 acres.
What fish are in Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in Twin Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Twin Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Twin Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 11, 2018 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Twin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Twin Lake thaw?
- Twin Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 28.
Are there boat ramps on Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Twin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Twin Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hennepin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Twin Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
289 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
MNPCA289 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate