Wild Rice Lake
Wild Rice Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 200 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.2 ft
- Typical in June
- 62°F
- Mean depth
- ~7 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
Next lake in Carlton County
Wild Rice Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Carlton County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 7 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 21 other monitored lakes in Carlton County, Wild Rice Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Wild Rice Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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)
Very murky, less than 3.2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 200 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 200 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wild Rice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wild Rice Lake in Carlton 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 Wild Rice Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Wild Rice Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in June. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 62°F) and coldest in Oct (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wild Rice Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Wild Rice 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 Wild Rice Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.416 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +72.65 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.74 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Wild Rice Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2019 EPA reporting cycle.
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FDL_124 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 22 lakes in Carlton County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Wild Rice 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 Carlton County
Frequently asked questions about Wild Rice Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wild Rice Lake?
- Wild Rice Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 200 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L.
Is Wild Rice Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Wild Rice Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wild Rice Lake?
- Wild Rice Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in June, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wild Rice Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Wild Rice Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 7 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Wild Rice Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carlton County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), 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 Wild Rice Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
84 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa (MN)
FONDULAC_WQX84 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Color, APHA Platinum-Cobalt
- For determination of Copper by the Bicinchoninate 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