Watkins Lake
Watkins Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Surface area: 134 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.2 ft
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Area
- 134 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Waseca County
Why Watkins Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Watkins Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Watkins Lake is a 134-acre lake in Waseca County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-06-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Watkins Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Watkins Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Watkins Lake in Waseca 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 134 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Watkins Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Moonan Wildlife Management Area #2 (Blowers Park)Public
Fishing Watkins Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Watkins Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Public Water Access Sites — WatkinsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.61 m/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Watkins Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Watkins Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Crane Creek; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 134 ac
- Normal storage
- 148 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 31.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Undetermined
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00881 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Watkins Lake
Watkins Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Waseca County
Frequently asked questions about Watkins Lake
What is the water quality grade for Watkins Lake?
- Watkins Lake in Waseca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Surface area: 134 acres.
Is Watkins Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Watkins Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Watkins Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Watkins Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 9 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 134 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Watkins Lake?
- Watkins Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Moonan Wildlife Management Area #2 (Blowers Park). Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA17 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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