Warner Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota37 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Warner Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
Warner Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 9, 2012 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Warner Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. DNR survey details →
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). 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Warner Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water38 ft surveyed max depth
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Warner 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 Warner Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Warner Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.8 µg/L. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.8µg/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 Warner Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Warner Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (66°F) to its warmest (76°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 9, 2012 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Warner Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Warner Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2012-07-09 (Standard Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2012-07-09 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 31.80 | 16–22 in 2012-07-09 | 1.82 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.59 | 2–7 in 2012-07-09 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.67 | 4–18 in 2012-07-09 | 0.73 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.88 | 13–29 in 2012-07-09 | 1.34 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 2.18 | 9–10 in 2002-07-01 | 0.38 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.06 | 3–9 in 2012-07-09 | 0.22 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
38 ft
Average depth
13.4 ft
Surface area
37 acres
Shoreline
1.9 mi
Littoral zone
32%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
32 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
951 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Warner LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Warner 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 →
Follow Warner Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Warner Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-13.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Warner Lake
Where is Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Warner Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 9, 2012 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Warner Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–29 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Warner Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Warner Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Warner Lake?
- Warner Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Warner Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Warner Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory