Upper Lake
Ramsey County, Minnesota69 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 19 ft max depth
- Public access
Upper Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 188 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 69.3 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 23, 2014 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Upper Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–18 inches. DNR survey details →
Upper Lake is a 69-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet (3-foot average). Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Upper Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Upper Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing11 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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 Upper 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 Upper Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Upper 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 6.2 ft. Phosphorus 188 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.7 µg/L. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 188µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Upper Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Upper Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 59°F) and coldest in Mar (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (41°F) to its warmest (59°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 913 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 23, 2014 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Upper Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-06-23 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2014-06-23 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 23.40 | 3–12 in 2014-06-23 | 0.33 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.98 | 3–6 in 2014-06-23 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.02 | 5 in 2014-06-23 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.38 | 5 in 2014-06-23 | 0.43 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.72 | 9–18 in 2014-06-23 | 1.76 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.69 | 3–6 in 2004-06-21 | 0.09 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2014-06-23 survey
Crosby Lake lies in the Mississippi River floodplain and is occasionally flooded by the river during high water periods. The surrounding property is a City of Saint Paul park (Crosby Farm Park). Shorefishing is available at many locations and carry-in access is also available (electric motor only). Summertime…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CrosbyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
19 ft
Average depth
3 ft
Surface area
69 acres
Shoreline
1.7 mi
Littoral zone
68%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upper Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Lake in Ramsey 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 Upper Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Upper 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 Upper Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.74 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.19 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Lake
Where is Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake is a lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 188 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 69.3 acres.
Is Upper 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 Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 913 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Lake?
- Upper Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet and an average depth of 3 feet. The lake covers 69.3 acres.
What fish are in Upper Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Upper Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 23, 2014 caught 2.00 northern pike per gill net at Upper Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–18 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Upper Lake?
- Public access to Upper 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.
Explore Upper Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Ramsey County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Upper Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
745 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA745 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder