Rice Lake (DOW 73-0196-00) is a large 1,509 acre lake located 5 miles east of Paynesville MN, in Stearns County. Rice has a maximum depth of 41 feet and contains a littoral area of about 55.8 percent which permits light penetration and allows plant growth.

Rice Lake is classified as a eutrophic lake with moderate water clarity as measured over the past 13 years by mean Secchi depth of approximately 6.3 feet. Continual annual monitoring allows for statistical trend analysis on the lake’s water quality. Currently, the lake’s water quality is stable, with no trends in water quality. Total phosphorus and chlorophyll-a (values that provide a measure of the amount of algae in the water) are considered high with mean values 61.5 and 26.8 ug/L at the primary site Rice Lake.