Winona Lake
Winona County, Minnesota308 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Winona Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 38 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Winona Lake in Winona County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 308.43 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 23, 2025 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Winona Lake. DNR survey details →
Winona Lake is a 308-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Winona County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake supports 24 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Winona Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing24 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 30
- Deep water38 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Winona Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Winona 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 Winona Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Winona Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 33.3 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 51.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 33.3µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Winona Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 23, 2025 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Winona Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Winona Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
23 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-23 (Targeted Survey).
23 surveys on file · most recent 2025-06-23 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 38.25 | 3–7 in 2025-06-23 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 35.16 | 5–18 in 2025-06-23 | 1.41 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.35 | 8–11 in 2025-06-23 | 0.25 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.36 | 4–12 in 2025-06-23 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 3.01 | 10–12 in 2025-06-23 | 0.64 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-06-23 survey
The 318 acre Lake Winona is located in the City of Winona and is surrounded by city park and biking path. There are two distinct basins to the lake. The upper (West) basin is generally shallow with little depth diversity, while the lower (East) basin has more depth and habitat diversity. A dredging project completed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Winona Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WinonaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WinonaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WinonaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
38 ft
Surface area
308 acres
Shoreline
5.2 mi
Littoral zone
90%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
636 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake WinonaPublic
- Dacota StreetPublic
- Lake Park DrivePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Winona Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Winona Lake in Winona 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Winona Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Winona 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Winona Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Winona Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Winona 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.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 30
Earliest Mar 13, 2026 · Latest Apr 8, 1989
Typical ice-in
Nov 29
Earliest Nov 5, 1991 · Latest Dec 7, 1982
Most recent ice-out
Mar 13
2026
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Winona Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN85-0011-01 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
5 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Winona Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Winona WwtpWinona · 2.2 mi away · NPDES MN0030147MajorRecent violation
- Peerless Chain CoWinona · 1.9 mi away · NPDES MN0001325Recent violation
- Rtp CoWinona · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0053350
- Cytec Engineered Materials IncWinona · 2.3 mi away · NPDES MN0003441
- Uscoe Lock & Dam 5A WtpWinona · 3.6 mi away · NPDES MN0068870
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Winona County
Frequently asked questions about Winona Lake
Where is Winona Lake?
- Winona Lake is a lake in Winona County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Winona Lake?
- Winona Lake in Winona County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 308.43 acres.
Is Winona Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Winona Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Winona Lake?
- Winona Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 308.43 acres.
What fish are in Winona Lake?
- Fish species found in Winona Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, gizzard shad, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, longnose gar, mooneye, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shortnose gar, smallmouth bass, smallmouth buffalo, walleye, warmouth, white bass, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Winona Lake is located in Winona County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Winona Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 23, 2025 caught 7.50 walleye per gill net at Winona Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Winona Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Winona Lake thaw?
- Winona Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 30. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 244 days.
Are there boat ramps on Winona Lake?
- Winona Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Winona, Dacota Street, Lake Park Drive. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Winona Lake?
- Winona Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Winona Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Winona Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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