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D

Unnamed Lake

Wright County, MinnesotaHypereutrophic

On the scoring rubric Unnamed Lake grades a D: clarity at 1.3 ft and 78 µg/L of phosphorus keep it in the lower bracket for Wright County. The two scored sub-grades — clarity and phosphorus — track close together, so neither one is dragging the average down.

The hypereutrophic status — TSI 70 — reflects sustained heavy nutrient loading from the surrounding watershed and frequent algal pressure. The lake bottoms out at 38 ft — a moderate depth that supports a warm-water fishery without the year-round cold refuge a deeper basin provides. At 97 acres, Unnamed Lake sits below the Minnesota median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Unnamed Lake sits at rank 45 of 64 in Wright County, in the lower half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Unnamed Lake, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 17 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 7 times at Unnamed Lake, with a median around Apr 13. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-07-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

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Swimming Safety

Swimming not recommended, poor water quality with high algae risk

Water Quality Grade: D, Poor

Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 78 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)1.3 ftF
Phosphorus78 µg/LD
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)70Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth38 ft
Average Depth13.2 ft
Surface Area97.35 acres
Shoreline Length1.7 mi
Littoral Zone60%
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

bigmouth buffalo,black bullhead,black crappie,bluegill,bowfin (dogfish),brown bullhead,channel catfish,common carp,golden redhorse,hybrid sunfish,largemouth bass,northern pike,pumpkinseed,walleye,white sucker,yellow bullhead,yellow perch

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Unnamed Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Unnamed Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Unnamed Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Eurasian watermilfoilzebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Declining

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.06 m/yr5
Phosphorus Declining+6.95 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (12 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 13
Typical Ice-In
Dec 1

Estimated open water season: 232 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2017-03-25 (2017)2008-04-21 (2008)
Ice-In2002-11-11 (2002)2001-12-21 (2001)

Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-15

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #45 of 64 lakes in Wright County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Unnamed Lake holds Grade D. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Wright County

State Parks Near Unnamed Lake

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-06-09 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill12.310.16 lb
Golden Redhorse11.613.9 lb
Largemouth Bass9.451.11 lb
Yellow Perch7.780.12 lb
Black Bullhead6.800.44 lb
Northern Pike3.982.99 lb

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

191 fish · 38 in · 2014-06-09
92460345678

Golden Redhorse

2 fish · 1921 in · 2014-06-09
10192021

Largemouth Bass

25 fish · 418 in · 2014-06-09
7404681012141618

Yellow Perch

5 fish · 56 in · 2014-06-09
42056

From the 2014-06-09 survey

Fish Lake is a small, 98 acre lake located in northern Wright County near the City of Clearwater. It has a maximum depth of 38 feet and a large watershed dominated by agriculture and forest. Fish Creek runs through the lake and connects to the Mississippi River; water quality is poor. A small public access is located…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Unnamed Lake. 2 reports on file.

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 MN86-0183-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.98 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2023-07-31

Monitoring stations: 1