Virginia Lake
Virginia Lake in Carver County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 104.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 105 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 4
- Open water
- 239 days
Next lake in Carver County
Why Virginia 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 Virginia 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.
Virginia Lake is a 105-acre lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. 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 Virginia Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Virginia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Virginia Lake in Carver 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 Virginia Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Virginia Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 651 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Virginia Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 105 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 29% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Virginia LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Virginia 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2009-06-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 58.41 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 28.11 | 0.42 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.18 | 2.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.85 | 0.86 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 4.74 | 0.46 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.18 | 0.09 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
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
From the 2009-06-01 survey
Lake Virginia is a 172 acre class 24 lake that is connected to Smithtown Bay of Lake Minnetonka. Water quality is poor. Dissolved oxygen (DO) was below levels fish could tolerate 16 feet below the surface in June. Anglers should not fish deep water during the summer months. The winter of 2008-2009 saw dissolved oxygen…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Virginia Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VirginiaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VirginiaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.044 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (81 observations).
Estimated open water season: 239 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-12 (2019) | 2024-01-04 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-29
EPA Impairment Status
Virginia Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0015-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Virginia Lake
Virginia Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Virginia Lake
What is the water quality grade for Virginia Lake?
- Virginia Lake in Carver County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 104.9 acres.
Is Virginia Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Virginia 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 Virginia Lake?
- Virginia Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 651 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Virginia Lake?
- Virginia Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 104.9 acres.
What fish are in Virginia Lake?
- Fish species found in Virginia Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Virginia Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
When does Virginia Lake thaw?
- Virginia Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 239 days.
Are there boat ramps on Virginia Lake?
- Virginia Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Virginia Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Virginia Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 2 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 Water
MNPCA83 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate