Warner Lake
Warner Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 37.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 37 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Stearns County
Warner Lake is a 37-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 38 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Warner Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 12.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 12.8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Warner Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Warner Lake in Stearns 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.
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Water Temperature
Warner Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Warner Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Average Depth | 13.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 37 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 32% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Warner LakePublic
- ClearwaterPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Warner Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2012-07-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 31.80 | 1.82 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.59 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.67 | 0.73 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.88 | 1.34 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 2.18 | 0.38 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.06 | 0.22 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.
Bigmouth Buffalo
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2012-07-09 survey
Warner Lake is located two miles west of Clearwater in eastern Stearns County. It has a surface area of 27 acres and a maximum depth of 38 feet. The watershed is large and primarily agriculture, forest, pasture, and wetland. Water quality is good, especially given the large watershed; July water clarity was over eight…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Warner Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WarnerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Warner (2000)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WarnerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.076 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -13.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Warner Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Warner Lake
What is the water quality grade for Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 37.43 acres.
Is Warner Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Warner Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 12.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet and an average depth of 13.4 feet. The lake covers 37.43 acres.
What fish are in Warner Lake?
- Fish species found in Warner Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Warner Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Warner Lake, Clearwater. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Warner Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
55 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA55 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory