Venus Lake
Venus Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Mean depth
- ~12 ft est.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Douglas County
Why Venus 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 Venus 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.
Venus Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 12 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. 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 Venus Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Venus Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Venus Lake in Douglas 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 Venus Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Venus Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 43 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Venus Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~12 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Venus 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.
Fishing Venus Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.038 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Venus Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0305-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Venus Lake
Venus Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Venus Lake
What is the water quality grade for Venus Lake?
- Venus Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility.
Is Venus Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Venus 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 Venus Lake?
- Venus Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 43 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Venus Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Venus 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.
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Where this data comes from
63 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
MNPCA63 samples · 2020–2025
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder