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About Rice Lake

Rice Lake is located in the mid-central part of Stearns County in Central Minnesota.  It's is 23 miles west of St. Cloud on County Hwy 23 just past Richmond and Cold Spring MN. It's a shallow lake with an average depth of 9 feet and maximum depth of 41 feet.  The North Fork of the Crow River both flows in and out of Rice Lake in the southwest corner.  There are 288 developed properties on the lake.  Eden Lake Township is the local tax base.

 

The lake is home to 19 different species of fish with Northern Pike, Bass, Walleye and Sunnies plentiful. Pelicans and Loons are spotted on the lake with regularity.  There are 2 public accesses and also boat landings at both Fisher's Resort and Morningstar Campgrounds.

Rice Lake Facts

  • Watershed:  North Fork of the Crow River

  • Major Basin:  Upper Mississippi River

  • Ecoregion:  North Central Hardwood Forset (CHF)

  • Location:  Center part of Stearns County

  • MN DNR Lake ID#  73-0196

  • Hydrologic Unit Code: 70102040107

  • Surface Lake Area:  1,694 acres

  • Littoral Area: Lake ares less than 2 meters deep-958 acres

  • Maximum Depth:  41 Feet

  • Mean(average) depth:  9 feet

  • Volume:  14,966 acre-feet(estimated)

  • Watershed/Lake surface ratio:  85:1

  • North Fork Crow River flows both in and out in the southwest corner of Rice Lake

  • Ordinary High Water Elevation(OHW):  1125.1 feet above Mean Sea Level

  • Highest water recorded:  1128.16 ft on June 24th, 1986

  • Lowest water recorded:  1121.22 ft on September 9th, 1988

  • Average water level:  1123.22 ft

  • Average water clarity (secchi disk reading) 4.9 ft

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