Melrose Lake

Stearns County, Minnesota · MN DNR bathymetric survey

9ft Max
depth

72 acres 4 contours Public access

Paddling Index49Modestsheltered geometry · carry-in access

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Depth scale

03579

The lake

Survey readout

Melrose Lake is mapped to a depth of 9 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 72 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota.

Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 9 ft
Surface area: 72 acres
Shoreline: 3.52 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 8% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Carry-In · Sauk River, Melrose Dam Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site

Additional depth details4 contours

Contour depths: 0–9 ft
Recorded point soundings: 9 ft

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Location

Stearns County, Minnesota · 15 nearest of 86 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: 45.68173, -94.82246
MN DNR lake ID: 73025100
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.3 MB

Paddling

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

49 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Melrose Lake has a substantially developed setting, well 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	19% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (8% forest, 8% wetland; 69% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Excellent	28.9 of 29	mean fetch 482 m · 58% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · short fetch in most directions
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	Excellent	17.6 of 18	1 DNR public access site · carry-in or canoe launch
Road isolation	Modest	1.4 of 18	substantial nearby higher-volume roads · 30 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 24,541 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: Moderate — narrow in places — wakes would carry across parts of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Low — approximately 8% 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 — 8% forest and 8% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
State water trail: On a state water trail — Part of a designated Minnesota State Water Trail: Sauk River. · MN DNR State Water Trails

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.

Infested waters listing

listed via connection

Mussels & snails

Zebra MusselListed in 2018 because this water is connected by the Sauk River between Sauk (77-0150) and Becker (73-0156). The species has not necessarily been found in this lake.

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

Melrose Lake — common questions

How deep is Melrose Lake?

The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Melrose Lake is 9 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 Melrose Lake?

Melrose Lake covers about 72 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota.

Is there public access to Melrose Lake?

Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists a public access site on Melrose Lake: a carry-in launch. It is administered by City of Melrose. DNR directions: "In the City of Melrose, above dam on Mill Pond Reservior, left bank."

More lakes in Stearns County

Lake Koronis (main lake)