Waverly Lake
Waverly Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70.5 ft. Surface area: 493.99 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 70.5 ft
- Area
- 494 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
Next lake in Wright County
Waverly Lake is a 494-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 71 feet (26-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Waverly Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 29 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Waverly Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Waverly Lake in Wright 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
Waverly Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 59°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 378 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Waverly Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 70.5 ft |
| Average Depth | 25.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 494 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 29% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Waterfront ParkPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Waverly 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 33.07 | 1.48 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 32.62 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluegill | 31.69 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.84 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.96 | 0.51 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 11.78 | 0.18 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.
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-06-24 survey
Waverly Lake is a 485-acre lake located in southern Wright County and directly north of the city of Waverly. There are two public accesses as well as a city park located on the south end of the lake. Waverly Lake is a fertile, hard water lake that experiences heavy algal blooms during mid to late summer. Water clarity…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Waverly Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WaverlyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WaverlyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WaverlyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.193 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +24.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.25 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-15 (2016) | 2018-05-03 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-18
EPA Impairment Status
Waverly Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN86-0114-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #21 of 51 lakes in Wright County
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Waverly Lake
What is the water quality grade for Waverly Lake?
- Waverly Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70.5 ft. Surface area: 493.99 acres.
Is Waverly Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Waverly Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Waverly Lake?
- Waverly Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 378 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Waverly Lake?
- Waverly Lake has a maximum depth of 70.5 feet and an average depth of 25.5 feet. The lake covers 493.99 acres.
What fish are in Waverly Lake?
- Fish species found in Waverly Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Waverly Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
When does Waverly Lake thaw?
- Waverly Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15.
Are there boat ramps on Waverly Lake?
- Waverly Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Waterfront Park. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Waverly Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Wright County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Waverly Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Waverly Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
163 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
MNPCA163 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 (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 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