Lake Josephine

Ramsey County, Minnesota · MN DNR bathymetric survey

40ft Max
depth

114 acres 8 contours Public access

Paddling Index39Modestsheltered geometry

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Depth scale

0510152025303540

The lake

Survey readout

Lake Josephine is mapped to a depth of 40 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 114 acres in Ramsey County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1962.

Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 40 ft
Survey year: 1962
Surface area: 114 acres
Shoreline: 1.67 mi · round
Aquatic vegetation: 2% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Trailer Launch · Josephine Lake Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site · 2 more

Additional depth details8 contours

Contour depths: 0–40 ft
Recorded point soundings: 40 ft

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Location

Ramsey County, Minnesota · 15 nearest of 32 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

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Map details & sources4 sources

All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.

Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 45.03539, -93.15349
MN DNR lake ID: 62005700
Vertical exaggeration: 2.32×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.3 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25

39 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Lake Josephine has a substantially developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, substantial nearby higher-volume roads.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Modest	0.7 of 35	6% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (2% forest, 2% wetland; 83% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	22.6 of 29	mean fetch 702 m · 2% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
Motor & speed rules	Not modeled	—	Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out.
Public access	Good	15.0 of 18	3 DNR public access sites · boat ramp · ADA-accessible · fishing pier
Road isolation	Modest	0.9 of 18	substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 46 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 30,500 vehicles/day

Additional paddling considerations

These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.

Wake sensitivity: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Low — approximately 2% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
Observed motorized activity: Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
Wildlife habitat potential: Limited — 2% forest and 2% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public land-cover, access and traffic-count data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights for Minnesota lakes: natural setting 35%, geometric wind exposure 29%, public access 18%, road isolation 18%. Motor, speed and no-wake rules are not modeled for Minnesota, and traffic counts cover state, county and some city roads but not township roads. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Minnesota scores are relative to other Minnesota lakes and are not directly comparable with Paddling Index scores on our sister sites, which use different data sources, some with a watercraft-rules component. Sources: MN DNR lake bathymetry outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MN DNR Water Access Sites and Fishing Piers & Shore Fishing Sites (2026-09) and MnDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (counts 2017–2025). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from DNR surveys & active stocking

14 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Common Carp

White Sucker

Hybrid Sunfish

Bluntnose Minnow

Johnny Darter

About these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide

Compiled from Minnesota DNR fishery surveys and Minnesota DNR stockings within the last 10 years. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Fishery

surveyed 2012

2,060Fish sampled

14Species

Gamefish Largemouth Bass 62 · Northern Pike 47 · Walleye 11

Panfish Bluegill 1,392 · Black Crappie 153 · Hybrid Sunfish 115

All survey species14 species

Gamefish

Largemouth Bass62 caught · to 17″

Northern Pike47 caught · to 29″

Walleye11 caught · to 25″

Panfish

Bluegill1,392 caught · to 9″

Black Crappie153 caught · to 11″

Hybrid Sunfish115 caught · to 7″

Green Sunfish72 caught · to 6″

Yellow Perch48 caught · to 4″

Pumpkinseed47 caught · to 6″

Bullhead & catfish

Yellow Bullhead89 caught · to 13″

Forage & nongame

Bluntnose Minnow18 caught

Common Carp4 caught · to 18″

Johnny Darter1 caught

White Sucker1 caught · to 17″

Length is the largest fish netted in the survey, not an angler record. Source: Minnesota DNR lake survey (LakeFinder).

DNR stocking

state stocking record · 2019–2019

Fish the Minnesota DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.

Walleye302,300 stocked · 2019 · 2 plantings

Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking report. LakeFinder lists the last 10 years of stocking only.

Infested waters listing

1 confirmed

Plants & algae

Eurasian WatermilfoilConfirmed in this water in 2012 (listed 2013).

How to identify invasive species in Minnesota lakes →

What does the infested waters list mean?

The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html

Quick answers

Lake Josephine — common questions

How deep is Lake Josephine?

The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Lake Josephine is 40 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.

How big is Lake Josephine?

Lake Josephine covers about 114 acres in Ramsey County, Minnesota.

What fish are in Lake Josephine?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish. The page lists all 14 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Lake Josephine?

Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists 3 public access sites on Lake Josephine: Josephine Lake Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Josephine Lake Fishing Pier (public fishing pier); Lake Josephine County Park Fishing Pier (public fishing pier).

More lakes in Ramsey County