Is Elbow Lake Safe for Swimming?
Elbow Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has nutrient and algae measurements on record from state and federal monitoring. A water-quality reading is not a swimming clearance. The state water agency and county health departments post current advisories; check them before you swim.. Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
Key Metrics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.7 ft |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 μg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 μg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Location | Cook County, Minnesota |
How does Elbow Lake compare?
On nutrient and algae readings, Elbow Lake matches or beats the Minnesota state average. It ranks #13 of 44 lakes in Cook County on nutrient and algae readings.
Water clarity (Secchi depth) sits at 3.7 feet. That falls into moderate clarity — typical for lakes with some nutrient enrichment. Algae levels (chlorophyll-a) measure 4.8 µg/L — low and well within safe swimming guidelines.
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