Carlton County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 57 lakes, measured by Minnesota PCA
Carlton County in Minnesota carries 57 monitored lakes — one of the lake-richer counties in our dataset. Coverage that dense usually reflects active lake-association sampling alongside state-agency monitoring. 22 of those lakes carry recent nutrient and algae readings. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. For Carlton County the spread behind the average matters more than the average itself: a few nutrient-rich lakes among many clear ones produce the same figure as the inverse.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the readings sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest measured lake is Big Lake.
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Quick Answers for Carlton County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Big Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Carlton County
DNR Reports (40)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Carlton County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Thomson ReservoirFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TamarackFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ParkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MooseheadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower (South) IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HayFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Hanging HornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EddyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EchoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EagleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ColeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ChubFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BigFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BangFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bang (0324)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big (0255)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BigFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BigPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Chub (0260)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ChubFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ChubPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cole (0243)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cole (2071)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ColeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ColePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Eagle (0245)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EaglePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Echo (0266)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Echo (2068)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EchoPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hanging Horn (0271)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Hanging HornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Hanging HornPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hay (0259)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HayFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HayPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lower (South) Island (0249)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Carlton County
57 lakes · 22 ranked on readings, 35 without enough sampling22 lakes ranked on readings · 35 without enough sampling, hidden
| # | Lake | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big LakeCarlton | 10 ft | 13.5 µg/L | 3.2 µg/L | No recent samples | 25 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | Third LakeCarlton | 8.5 ft | 21.5 µg/L | 2.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 3 | Pat Martin LakeCarlton | 6.6 ft | 15 µg/L | 3.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 4 | Park LakeCarlton | 7 ft | 14 µg/L | 3.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 16 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | Eagle LakeCarlton | 7 ft | 23.5 µg/L | 7.4 µg/L | No recent samples | 35 ft | ✓ Public |
| 6 | Sand LakeCarlton | 5 ft | 30 µg/L | 13.4 µg/L | No recent samples | 27 ft | ✓ Public |
| 7 | Perch LakeCarlton | 2.2 ft | 51 µg/L | 6.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 8 | Wild Rice LakeCarlton | 3.2 ft | 200 µg/L | 2.8 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 9 | Hardwood LakeCarlton | 5.1 ft | 200 µg/L | 5.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
| 10 | Sofie LakeCarlton | 4.9 ft | 25 µg/L | 3.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 11 | Lac LakeCarlton | 9.5 ft | 108 µg/L | 5.5 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 12 | Deadfish LakeCarlton | 1.6 ft | 63 µg/L | 3.6 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 13 | Rice Portage LakeCarlton | 1.3 ft | 43 µg/L | 4.9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 14 | Hay LakeCarlton | 6 ft | 24 µg/L | 10.7 µg/L | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ Public |
| 15 | Kettle LakeCarlton | No recent samples | 29 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 16 | Island LakeCarlton | 5.1 ft | 26 µg/L | 14.7 µg/L | No recent samples | 22 ft | ✓ Public |
| 17 | Cedar LakeCarlton | 2 ft | 125 µg/L | 10 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 18 | Miller LakeCarlton | 1.8 ft | 57.5 µg/L | 9 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 19 | Spruce LakeCarlton | 2.3 ft | 110 µg/L | 9.1 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 20 | Jaskari LakeCarlton | 2.4 ft | 51 µg/L | 10.3 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | Carry-in |
| 21 | Second LakeCarlton | 1.2 ft | 75 µg/L | 13 µg/L | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
| 22 | Bang LakeCarlton | 2 ft | 47 µg/L | 9.4 µg/L | No recent samples | 9 ft | Carry-in |
| Eddy LakeCarlton | 3.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 37 ft | Carry-in | |
| Tamarack LakeCarlton | 5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 48 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Moose LakeCarlton | 10.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 67 ft | Carry-in | |
| Echo LakeCarlton | 11 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 47 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Moosehead LakeCarlton | 4 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Cole LakeCarlton | 10 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 24 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Chub LakeCarlton | 13.7 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 28 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Hanging Horn LakeCarlton | 6.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 80 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Little Hanging Horn LakeCarlton | 11.5 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 31 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Thomson ReservoirCarlton | 4 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 22 ft | Carry-in | |
| Little Kettle LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Coffee LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 53 ft | Not recorded | |
| Bear LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 31 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Lake TwentynineCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | Not recorded | |
| Crystal LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 34 ft | Not recorded | |
| Munson LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 23 ft | Not recorded | |
| Hizer LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 8.9 ft | Not recorded | |
| Ellstrom LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Flodin LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Bob LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Torchlight LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 14 ft | Not recorded | |
| Merwin LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 15.9 ft | Not recorded | |
| Island LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 22 ft | ✓ Public | |
| Mattlia LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Walli LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Cross LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 20 ft | Not recorded | |
| Woodbury LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 24 ft | Not recorded | |
| Big LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 25 ft | Not recorded | |
| Bear LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 29.5 ft | Not recorded | |
| Lac La BelleCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded | |
| Venoah LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 18 ft | Not recorded | |
| Blackhoof LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 8.8 ft | Not recorded | |
| Spring LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 26.2 ft | Not recorded | |
| Graham LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | 19.7 ft | Not recorded | |
| Soper LakeCarlton | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | Not recorded |
NR = no nutrient or algae reading on record. The measurements are published as the authority reports them. Where the data comes from.
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Source: the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR. See data sources.