Wirth Lake
Hennepin County, Minnesota40 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wirth Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Wirth Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 39.97 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2018 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Wirth Lake. DNR survey details →
Wirth Lake is a 40-acre mesotrophic lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 80 other monitored lakes in Hennepin County, Wirth Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Wirth Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.1 ft of visibility
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 4
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyBacteria tested: low
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Wirth Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 6 samples across 6 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.
Whether Wirth 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 Wirth Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Wirth Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.1 ft. Phosphorus 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.8 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 34µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.8µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wirth Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Wirth Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in Jan (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,082 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wirth Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2018 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Wirth Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wirth Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-07 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2018-08-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 54.01 | 5–7 in 2018-08-07 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 40.04 | 6–11 in 2018-08-07 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.22 | 3–6 in 2018-08-07 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.20 | 6 in 2012-08-27 | 0.09 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 4.04 | 0.9 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.31 | 3–5 in 2018-08-07 | 0.11 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.
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-08-07 survey
Wirth Lake is part of Fishing in the Neighborhood (FiN). It is located within the city limits of Golden Valley but is surrounded by Theodore Wirth Park which is administered by the City of Minneapolis. Wirth Lake has a public fishing pier and boat launch that provide access for fishing. Bluegill abundance was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wirth Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WirthFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WirthFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WirthPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
40 acres
Shoreline
1.2 mi
Littoral zone
58%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
47 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
810 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wirth Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wirth 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 Wirth Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wirth 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.41 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.05 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 4
Earliest Mar 4, 2024 · Latest Apr 27, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 26
Earliest Nov 4, 1991 · Latest Jan 16, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Mar 4
2024
140 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Wirth 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: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN27-0037-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hennepin County
Frequently asked questions about Wirth Lake
Where is Wirth Lake?
- Wirth Lake is a lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wirth Lake?
- Wirth Lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 39.97 acres.
Is Wirth Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Wirth Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 6 samples across 6 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Wirth Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wirth Lake?
- Wirth Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in October, from 1,082 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wirth Lake?
- Wirth Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 39.97 acres.
What fish are in Wirth Lake?
- Fish species found in Wirth Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead. Wirth Lake is located in Hennepin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wirth Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 7, 2018 caught 1.00 northern pike per gill net at Wirth Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wirth Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Wirth Lake thaw?
- Wirth Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 4. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
Can I fish at Wirth Lake?
- Public access to Wirth Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Wirth Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
727 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA727 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- Turbidity, Probe Method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate