Zumwalde Lake
Zumwalde Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 128.11 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 128 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Zumwalde Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Zumwalde Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Zumwalde Lake is a 128-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Zumwalde Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2.3 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 65.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 65 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Zumwalde Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Zumwalde Lake in Stearns 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.
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Water Temperature
Zumwalde Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2011–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Zumwalde Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Average Depth | 6.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 128 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 82% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Zumwalde 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 27.30 | 0.28 lb |
| Channel Catfish | 11.90 | 1.87 lb |
| Bluegill | 10.69 | 0.25 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.43 | 0.73 lb |
| GRR | 8.00 | 1.83 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.25 | 0.17 lb |
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.
Black Crappie
Channel Catfish
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-29 survey
The Sauk River Chain of Lakes (SRCL) is located in south-central Stearns County, near the city of Richmond. A dam built in the early 1900's on the Sauk River in Cold Spring created the SRCL a reservoir consisting of nine lakes and approximately 3,200 acres of water. The Sauk River drains a large portion of central…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Zumwalde Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ZumwaldeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.264 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +27.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Zumwalde 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 MN73-0089-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Zumwalde Lake
Zumwalde Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Zumwalde Lake
What is the water quality grade for Zumwalde Lake?
- Zumwalde Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 128.11 acres.
Is Zumwalde Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Zumwalde Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Zumwalde Lake?
- Zumwalde Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Zumwalde Lake?
- Zumwalde Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet and an average depth of 6.1 feet. The lake covers 128.11 acres.
What fish are in Zumwalde Lake?
- Fish species found in Zumwalde Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, black redhorse, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, greater redhorse, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Zumwalde Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic 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