Uhlenkolts Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota250 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Uhlenkolts Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Uhlenkolts Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 187 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 205 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 250.2 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 1982 caught 0.25 black bullhead per gill net at Uhlenkolts Lake. DNR survey details →
Uhlenkolts Lake is a 250-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Uhlenkolts Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Uhlenkolts Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Uhlenkolts 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 Uhlenkolts Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Uhlenkolts Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 0.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 187 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 205 µg/L. TSI 82.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 0.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 187µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 205µg/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. | 82 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Uhlenkolts Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Uhlenkolts Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2016–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Uhlenkolts Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 1982 caught 0.25 black bullhead per gill net at Uhlenkolts Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Uhlenkolts Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1982-06-21 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1982-06-21 (Standard Survey)
44 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 16.88 | 0.33 lb | |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.83 | 0.53 lb | |
| Common Carp | 2.50 | 8.1 lb | |
| White Sucker | 0.17 | 0.2 lb | |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 0.17 | 0.3 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 0.17 | 3 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.
From the 1982-06-21 survey
There is a large population of Black Crappie but average size of fish is small. The Northern Pike population is higher than state avgerage. The Common Carp and Black Bullhead population are also high with small avgerage size. Large population of small White Suckers, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, hybrid…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Uhlenkolts Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — UhlenkoltsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — UhlenkoltsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
250 acres
Shoreline
4.7 mi
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,184 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Uhlenkolts Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Uhlenkolts Lake in Stearns 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 Uhlenkolts Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Uhlenkolts Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Uhlenkolts Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Uhlenkolts Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0208-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Uhlenkolts Lake
Where is Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Uhlenkolts Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Uhlenkolts Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 187 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 205 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 250.2 acres.
Is Uhlenkolts Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Uhlenkolts Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Uhlenkolts Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Uhlenkolts Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 250.2 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 1982 caught 0.25 black bullhead per gill net at Uhlenkolts Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Uhlenkolts Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Uhlenkolts Lake?
- Public access to Uhlenkolts Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
22 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
MNPCA22 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder