White Rock Lake
Washington County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for White Rock Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 31 ft max depth
- Limited data
White Rock Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L.
White Rock Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Washington County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 31 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 74 other monitored lakes in Washington County, White Rock Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-04. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether White Rock Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for White Rock Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for White Rock Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Phosphorus 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about White Rock Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
White Rock Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Rock Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
~31 ft est.
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for White Rock Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
84 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
955 ft
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.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near White Rock Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Rock 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 Rock Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow White Rock Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing White Rock Lake
Nearby Lakes in Washington County
Frequently asked questions about White Rock Lake
Where is White Rock Lake?
- White Rock Lake is a lake in Washington County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of White Rock Lake?
- White Rock Lake in Washington County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L.
Is White Rock Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of White Rock Lake?
- White Rock Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Rock Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers White Rock Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 31 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Can I fish at White Rock Lake?
- Public access to White Rock Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore White Rock Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Washington County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near White Rock Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA44 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Analysis of Chlorophyll in Periphyton and Plankton
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder