Westwood Lake
Westwood Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Mean depth
- ~11 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Hennepin County
Westwood Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 11 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Westwood Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Westwood Lake water quality
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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 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 28.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 28.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Westwood Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Westwood Lake in Hennepin 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 Westwood Lake
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Water Temperature
Westwood Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2011–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Westwood Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~11 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Westwood 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.
Fishing Westwood Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Westwood Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — WestwoodFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.033 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +9 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.63 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Westwood Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0082-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.84 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #22 of 81 lakes in Hennepin County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Westwood Lake holds Grade C. 2 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 Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Westwood Lake
What is the water quality grade for Westwood Lake?
- Westwood Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 28.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L.
Is Westwood Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Westwood Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Westwood Lake?
- Westwood Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Westwood Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Westwood Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 11 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA71 samples · 2021–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder