Waconia Lake
Carver County, Minnesota3,080 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Waconia Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
Waconia Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 3080.35 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 7.08 walleye per gill net at Waconia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Waconia Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Waconia Lake is a 3,080-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carver County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 37 other monitored lakes in Carver County, Waconia Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Waconia Lake covers about 3,100 acres in Carver County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 10, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Waconia Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Waconia Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 10
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water3,080 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
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. Waconia Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Waconia 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 Waconia Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Waconia Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft. Phosphorus 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.8 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 30µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.8µg/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. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Waconia Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Waconia Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Feb (about 36°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (36°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,248 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Waconia Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 7.08 walleye per gill net at Waconia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Waconia Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 27.47 | 2–7 in 2025-08-04 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.90 | 1–8 in 2025-08-04 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.70 | 4–12 in 2025-08-04 | 0.24 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.72 | 18–25 in 2025-08-04 | 2.57 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.96 | 3–8 in 2025-08-04 | 0.16 lb |
| Walleye | 3.48 | 11–26 in 2025-08-04 | 2.09 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Freshwater Drum
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Lake Waconia is 3080-acres (1660 littoral acres) with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Lake Waconia is located north of the City of Waconia in central Carver County. Waconia is primarily managed for Walleye (special regulation: 16 inch minimum length) and Muskellunge. Walleye are fingerling-stocked at 1 pound per littoral…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Waconia Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WaconiaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WaconiaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WaconiaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Surface area
3,080 acres
Shoreline
10.9 mi
Littoral zone
54%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
16 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
948 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Waconia (East)Public
- Lake Waconia (West)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Waconia Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Waconia 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 Waconia 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Waconia 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.96 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.9 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 10
Earliest Mar 7, 2017 · Latest May 4, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 7, 1991 · Latest Dec 24, 2020
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2026
209 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Waconia Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN10-0059-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Carver County
Frequently asked questions about Waconia Lake
Where is Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake is a lake in Carver County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake in Carver County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 3080.35 acres.
Is Waconia Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Waconia Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 1,248 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 3080.35 acres.
What fish are in Waconia Lake?
- Fish species found in Waconia Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Waconia Lake is located in Carver County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Waconia Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 7.08 walleye per gill net at Waconia Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 11–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Waconia Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Waconia Lake thaw?
- Waconia Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Are there boat ramps on Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Waconia (East), Lake Waconia (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Waconia Lake?
- Waconia Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Waconia Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
234 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
MNPCA234 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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