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LakeQuality

Unnamed Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #8 of 45 lakes in the county · 6 ft clear · Eutrophic
Eutrophic

Unnamed Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.7 µg/L.

Clarity
6 ft
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
↓ Declining
Public access
No
Where to stay →Safe to swim?

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Unnamed Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Dakota County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 44 other monitored lakes in Dakota County, Unnamed Lake ranks #8 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Moderate

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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near St. Paul →

Get alerts for Unnamed Lake →

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)6 ftNot graded
Phosphorus26 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)7.7 µg/LFair
Trophic State Index (TSI)51Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Unnamed Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Unnamed Lake in Dakota 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 Unnamed Lake

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →

Current Conditions

45°F
Water Temperature
1388.79 ft
Water Elevation

USGS snapshot Oct 27, 2011, 4:00 AM from gauge 473428095050801 (Unnamed Lake, W. Side, at Raft, Se of Pinewood, MN). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.

Fish Species

black bullheadbluegilllargemouth bass

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Unnamed Lake

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Unnamed Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity↓ Declining-0.157 m/yr6
Phosphorus→ Stable+0.41 µg/L/yr6
Chlorophyll-a↓ Declining+0.3 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Unnamed Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN19-0064-00 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #8 of 45 lakes in Dakota County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Unnamed Lake holds Grade C. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

AHolland Lake· null miAO'Brien Lake· null mi
See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Dakota County

AHolland Lake27.9 ft clear · OligotrophicView →DQuigley Lake2 ft clear · EutrophicView →AO'Brien Lake18 ft clear · MesotrophicView →CCarlson Lake7.5 ft clear · EutrophicView →CMcdonough Lake4.5 ft clear · EutrophicView →FMccarthy Lake1 ft clear · HypereutrophicView →

Frequently asked questions about Unnamed Lake

What is the water quality grade for Unnamed Lake?

Unnamed Lake in Dakota County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.7 µg/L.

Is Unnamed Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Unnamed Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What fish are in Unnamed Lake?

Fish species found in Unnamed Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, largemouth bass. Unnamed Lake is located in Dakota County, Minnesota.

What is the water level at Unnamed Lake?

The USGS snapshot on this page for Unnamed Lake is 1388.79 ft of water-surface elevation, recorded Oct 27, 2011, 4:00 AM at gauge 473428095050801. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.

Explore Unnamed Lake across LakeGrade

Minnesota Fishing Guide

Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota

Dakota County Fishing

Fish species and best lakes in Dakota County

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Minnesota Lake Trips

Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade

Minnesota River Watershed

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Eutrophic Lakes

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

The State of Minnesota's Lakes

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More Minnesota Lake Rankings

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Top 25 by overall water quality score

Clearest lakes in Minnesota

Top 25 by Secchi water clarity

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Grade A/B + low algae filter

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Panfish-rich, public access

All Minnesota lakes

Full state directory

State Parks Near Unnamed Lake

Fort Snelling State Park

State Park · 6.5 mi

Afton State Park

State Park · 18.3 mi

Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota

Loeb Lake

Ramsey County · 11.2 ft

Mccarron Lake

Ramsey County · 11.5 ft

Harriet Lake

Hennepin County · 9.7 ft

Phalen Lake

Ramsey County · 8.1 ft

Bde Maka Ska Lake

Hennepin County · 9.8 ft

Tanners Lake

Washington County · 6.6 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Long Meadow LakeUpper LakeCrosby LakeNokomis Lake

Where this data comes from

1,455 measurements from 20 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 WaterMNPCA1,455 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
  • Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
  • 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
  • Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (20)

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