What pollutants is Red Rock Lake listed for?

EPA's ATTAINS assessment cites Red Rock Lake for: MERCURY IN FISH TISSUE (grouped as Mercury). These are the specific parameters that exceed water-quality standards.

Is there a cleanup plan for Red Rock Lake?

Yes. A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) — the EPA's pollution-budget cleanup plan — has been developed for Red Rock Lake. A TMDL sets the maximum amount of each pollutant the lake can receive and still meet standards, then allocates reductions among sources.

What does "impaired" mean for a lake?

Under Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act, states assess whether each waterbody supports its designated uses (aquatic life, recreation, fish consumption, drinking-water supply). A lake that fails the standard for any pollutant is "impaired" and added to the 303(d) list, which obligates the state to eventually write a TMDL cleanup plan. It is a regulatory status, not a measure of overall clarity.

Is Red Rock Lake Polluted? EPA Impaired-Waters Status

Yes — Red Rock Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2024 assessment cycle). It is cited for Mercury. A formal cleanup plan — a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) — has been written. "Impaired" is a legal designation, separate from the lake's EPA condition class water-quality readings: it means at least one designated use (such as swimming, aquatic life, or fish consumption) does not meet state standards for the listed pollutant.

EPA 303(d) Listing

On 303(d) impaired list	Listed impaired
Cleanup plan (TMDL)	Completed
Assessment cycle	2024
EPA IR category	4A
Location	Cook County, Minnesota

Pollutants Cited

Mercury — Mercury accumulates in fish tissue and is the single most common impairment in northern lakes. It usually arrives via atmospheric deposition from coal combustion rather than local discharge — which is why even remote, clear lakes can be mercury-impaired. It triggers fish-consumption advisories, not swimming closures.

Specific parameters in the EPA record: MERCURY IN FISH TISSUE.

What this means for using Red Rock Lake

Red Rock Lake's listing is driven by contaminants that build up in fish (Mercury), so the practical impact is on eating the fish, not on swimming. Follow the state fish-consumption advisory for Minnesota. An impairment listing does not mean the lake is closed — most impaired lakes remain open for boating and swimming. It means a specific pollutant exceeds a standard for a specific use. Red Rock Lake carries an overall water-quality readings of — — see the full breakdown on the lake report. The official EPA assessment is available in the ATTAINS waterbody report.

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