Wakefield Lake
Wakefield Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 22.46 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 8 ft
- Area
- 22 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Mar 28
- Open water
- 248 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Wakefield Lake →
Next lake in Ramsey County
Wakefield Lake is a 22-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and northern pike. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Ramsey County, Wakefield Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyElevated nutrients
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wakefield Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wakefield 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Wakefield Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wakefield Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Wakefield 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 Feb (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 260 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wakefield Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 22 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 0.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 96% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wakefield Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-25 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 34.77 | 0.15 lb |
| GOS | 27.20 | 0.04 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.56 | 0.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 9.13 | 0.06 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.13 | 1.6 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.48 | 0.16 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.
Black Bullhead
GOS
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
From the 2016-07-25 survey
Wakefield Lake is 23 acres in size and has a maximum depth of approximately nine feet. Wakefield lake has been managed as part of the Fishing in the Neighborhood Program (FiN) since 2001 when the first fisheries population assessment was conducted. Prior to this time, fisheries management consisted of fish stocking in…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wakefield Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WakefieldFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WakefieldFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.076 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.63 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.28 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 248 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-02 (2024) | 2018-04-28 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-08 (2019) | 2016-12-08 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-28
EPA Impairment Status
Wakefield 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 MN62-0011-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 44 lakes in Ramsey County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wakefield Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Ramsey County
Frequently asked questions about Wakefield Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wakefield Lake?
- Wakefield Lake in Ramsey County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 22.46 acres.
Is Wakefield Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Wakefield Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wakefield Lake?
- Wakefield Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 260 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wakefield Lake?
- Wakefield Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 22.46 acres.
What fish are in Wakefield Lake?
- Fish species found in Wakefield Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Wakefield Lake is located in Ramsey County, Minnesota.
When does Wakefield Lake thaw?
- Wakefield Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 28. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 248 days.
Explore Wakefield Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
359 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
MNPCA359 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate