Washington Lake
Washington Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 2438.08 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 2,438 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 237 days
Next lake in Meeker County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Washington Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 15 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Washington Lake is a 2,438-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Washington Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. 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 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 32.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Washington Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Washington Lake in Meeker 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 Washington Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Washington Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Water Temperature
Washington Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Washington Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Washington Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (36,983 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Average Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,438 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 93% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Washington Lake (East)Public
- Washington Lake (South)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Washington 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
25 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 14.00 | 1.58 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.78 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.25 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.19 | 0.36 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.68 | 1.39 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.54 | 0.71 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.
Walleye
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2025-07-21 survey
Washington is a large-sized lake (2,438 acres) located south of the Town of Darwin in Meeker County. A large state-owned access with paved parking and a double cement boat ramp is present on the south shore. There is also a small cement plank access, with limited parking, on the east shore. Boaters can also access…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Washington Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WashingtonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Washington (1396)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WashingtonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WashingtonPublic 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 | +0.008 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.89 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 237 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-17 (2016) | 2013-04-30 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-02 (1991) | 2009-12-09 (2009) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-24
EPA Impairment Status
Washington 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 MN47-0046-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Washington Lake
What is the water quality grade for Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 2438.08 acres.
Is Washington Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Washington Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 11.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet and an average depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 2438.08 acres.
What fish are in Washington Lake?
- Fish species found in Washington Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Washington Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
When does Washington Lake thaw?
- Washington Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 237 days.
Does Washington Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Washington Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (36,983 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Washington Lake?
- Washington Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Washington Lake (East), Washington Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Washington Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
335 measurements from 5 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
MNPCA335 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 (5)
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