White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 83 ft. Surface area: 2427.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 83 ft
- Area
- 2,428 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 12
- Open water
- 238 days
Next lake in Washington County
Free interactive depth-contour map of White Bear Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
White Bear Lake is a 2,428-acre mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 83 feet (20-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, White Bear Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria C
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.
Based on E. coli testing, White Bear Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 9% of 156 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near White Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Bear Lake in Washington 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 White Bear Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at White Bear Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Water Temperature
White Bear Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,376 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Bear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for White Bear Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (147,231 cells/mL) on September 13, 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 | 83 ft |
| Average Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,428 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 13.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- White Bear Lake ParkPublic
- Matoska ParkPublic
- White Bear Yacht ClubSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Bear 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
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 49.51 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.70 | — |
| Bluegill | 21.32 | 0.13 lb |
| BKF | 11.76 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.24 | — |
| BCS | 8.07 | — |
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.
Bluegill
From the 2024-07-15 survey
White Bear Lake is a mesotrophic, class 22 lake located in Ramsey and Washington Counties. The Lake has a maximum depth of 83 feet and is 2,427 acres in surface area, with 1,314 littoral acres (54.4%). The primary management species are Walleye and Muskellunge, and the secondary management species are Largemouth Bass…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Bear Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White BearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White BearFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White BearPublic 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 | -0.401 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.53 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (183 observations).
Estimated open water season: 238 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-08 (2024) | 2018-05-04 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2013-11-24 (2013) | 2024-01-18 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-31
EPA Impairment Status
White Bear 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 MN82-0167-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 75 lakes in Washington County
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about White Bear Lake
What is the water quality grade for White Bear Lake?
- White Bear Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 83 ft. Surface area: 2427.7 acres.
Is White Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, White Bear Lake occasionally exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 9% of 156 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of C — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. White Bear Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of White Bear Lake?
- White Bear Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 1,376 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Bear Lake?
- White Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 83 feet and an average depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 2427.7 acres.
What fish are in White Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in White Bear Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. White Bear Lake is located in Washington County, Minnesota.
When does White Bear Lake thaw?
- White Bear Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Does White Bear Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for White Bear Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (147,231 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on White Bear Lake?
- White Bear Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include White Bear Lake Park, Matoska Park, White Bear Yacht Club. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White Bear Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Washington County · Grade B
Washington County · Grade A
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Washington County · Grade D
Washington County · Grade D
Where this data comes from
1,045 measurements from 7 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
MNPCA1,045 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
Monitoring station identifiers (7)
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