Unnamed Lake
Unnamed Lake in Benton County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 1.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Mean depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Benton County
Why Unnamed 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 Unnamed Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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.
Unnamed Lake is a lake in Benton County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-28. 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 Unnamed Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1.5 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 71.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 71 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Unnamed Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Unnamed Lake in Benton 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
Unnamed Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Unnamed Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Unnamed Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Walleye Road LandingPublic
- Highway 10 BridgePublic
Fishing Unnamed 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 Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.002 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +2.93 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +24.12 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Unnamed Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 3 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Benton Utilities WwtpRice · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0065391Recent violation
- Lake Andrew WwtpRice · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MN0067733Recent violation
- The Cove Utility AssociationSauk Rapids · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MN0066109Recent violation
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 Unnamed Lake
Unnamed Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Benton County
Frequently asked questions about Unnamed Lake
What is the water quality grade for Unnamed Lake?
- Unnamed Lake in Benton County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1.5 ft visibility.
Is Unnamed Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Unnamed 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 Unnamed Lake?
- Unnamed Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Unnamed Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Unnamed Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 12 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Unnamed Lake?
- Unnamed Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Walleye Road Landing, Highway 10 Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA47 samples · 2020–2024
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
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