St. Louis County Lake Quality

Minnesota, 187 lakes, average grade C (Fair)

St. Louis County has 187 graded lakes, enough that within-county variation matters as much as the county average. Some are deep glacial basins, others are shallow agricultural-watershed waters, and the grade distribution reflects that mix. The county average is C — the middle of the rubric, with one or two lakes pulling the average up or down depending on year.

Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Pike Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated May 31, 2026

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Quick Answers for St. Louis County

Cleanest lakes in St. Louis County →Cleanest lakes in Minnesota →Safest swimming lakes in Minnesota →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Pike Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.

DNR Reports (332)

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in St. Louis County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →

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Fisheries Lake Survey — Wolf
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Wolf
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Wolf
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Whitewater
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Whiteface Reservoir
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — White
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — West Twin
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — War Club
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Bullet
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — West Two Rivers Reservoir
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Unnamed
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
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Fisheries Lake Survey — Erickson
Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder

All Lakes in St. Louis County

Rank	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Max Depth	Phosphorus
1	Pike Lake	A	18 ft	60 ft	-
2	Sunshine Lake	A	20 ft	37 ft	-
3	Eagles Nest Lake	A	15.5 ft	49 ft	-
4	Mukooda Lake	A	16.6 ft	78 ft	17 µg/L
5	Silver Lake	A	19.3 ft	29 ft	13.5 µg/L
6	Majestic Lake	A	15.7 ft	51 ft	-
7	Schultz Lake	A	15.5 ft	48 ft	-
8	Smith Lake	A	15 ft	51 ft	-
9	Little Armstrong Lake	A	15.5 ft	26 ft	-
10	Little Long Lake	A	21 ft	45 ft	-
11	Rose Lake	A	-	31 ft	18 µg/L
12	Burntside Lake	A	16 ft	126 ft	7 µg/L
13	Armstrong Lake	A	16.2 ft	34 ft	-
14	Lost Lake	A	23 ft	44 ft	-
15	St James Pit Lake	A	47.6 ft	381 ft	-
16	Majestic Lake	A	17.1 ft	51 ft	-
17	St. Marys Lake	A	16.8 ft	44 ft	7.5 µg/L
18	Deep Lake	A	17.2 ft	50 ft	12 µg/L
19	Sabin Lake	A	35 ft	52 ft	19.5 µg/L
20	St. Mary'S Lake	A	15 ft	44 ft	-
21	Ely Lake	A	16 ft	70 ft	7 µg/L
22	Cruiser Lake	A	25.4 ft	91 ft	5.3 µg/L
23	Whitewater Lake	A	15.4 ft	73 ft	14 µg/L
24	Superior Lake	A	-	-	10 µg/L
25	Iron Chief Complex Lake	A	24.5 ft	262.1 ft	-
26	Little Sandy Lake	A	-	-	19 µg/L
27	Joe Martin Lake	A	14.5 ft	77 ft	9 µg/L
28	Island Lake	A	14.5 ft	65 ft	8.5 µg/L
29	George Lake	A	14.3 ft	18 ft	10 µg/L
30	Pleasant Lake	A	10 ft	33 ft	12.5 µg/L
31	Little Trout Lake	A	20.3 ft	95 ft	20.4 µg/L
32	Perch Lake	A	13.5 ft	30 ft	11 µg/L
33	Side Lake	A	11 ft	32 ft	11.5 µg/L
34	White Lake	A	11.5 ft	29 ft	10 µg/L
35	Sturgeon Lake	A	13.8 ft	79.8 ft	12.5 µg/L
36	Dodo Lake	A	13 ft	53 ft	8.2 µg/L
37	Cadotte Lake	A	10.2 ft	18 ft	13 µg/L
38	Bear Head Lake	A	11 ft	46 ft	19.5 µg/L
39	Anne Lake	A	14.4 ft	27 ft	9 µg/L
40	Quill Lake	B	11.5 ft	46 ft	-
41	Loiten Lake	B	11.5 ft	49 ft	-
42	O'Leary Lake	B	10.7 ft	52 ft	-
43	Beast Lake	B	10.2 ft	66 ft	-
44	Long Lake	B	13.5 ft	33 ft	-
45	Unnamed Lake	B	11.5 ft	-	-
46	Clear Lake	B	10.8 ft	24 ft	-
47	Sandy Lake	B	-	-	20.5 µg/L
48	Caribou Lake	B	10.5 ft	21 ft	-
49	Fourteen Lake	B	10 ft	14.5 ft	-
50	Brown Lake	B	8.5 ft	27 ft	17.1 µg/L
51	Thirteen Lake	B	14 ft	17 ft	-
52	Pine Lake	B	7.5 ft	14 ft	15.5 µg/L
53	Loon Lake	B	6.6 ft	-	-
54	Ryan Lake	B	9.2 ft	13 ft	17 µg/L
55	Wynne Lake	B	7.3 ft	52 ft	15.5 µg/L
56	Clark Lake	B	12.5 ft	44 ft	-
57	Locator Lake	B	8.5 ft	52 ft	17.2 µg/L
58	Namakan Lake	B	11.5 ft	150 ft	-
59	Crab Lake	B	13 ft	57 ft	-
60	Gun Lake	B	11.5 ft	57 ft	-
61	Fenske Lake	B	11.5 ft	43 ft	-
62	Aerie Lake	B	11.5 ft	37 ft	-
63	Little Vermilion Lake	B	10 ft	17 ft	-
64	Agnes Lake	B	13.5 ft	30 ft	-
65	Finger Lake	B	8.5 ft	60 ft	8 µg/L
66	Eugene Lake	B	11.5 ft	64 ft	-
67	Toe Lake	B	13.5 ft	57 ft	-
68	Beartrack Lake	B	11 ft	55 ft	-
69	Sinneeg Lake	B	11 ft	32 ft	-
70	North Lake	B	12 ft	-	-
71	Gilbert Pit Lake	B	11.5 ft	443 ft	-
72	Big Rice Lake	B	-	5 ft	25 µg/L
73	West Twin Lake	B	6.2 ft	18 ft	16.5 µg/L
74	Lost Lake	B	5.8 ft	-	17 µg/L
75	Peary Lake	B	6.7 ft	15 ft	20.5 µg/L
76	Twin Lake	B	3.6 ft	-	13 µg/L
77	Murphy Lake	B	5.2 ft	24 ft	18 µg/L
78	Shoepack Lake	B	4.6 ft	24 ft	19.8 µg/L
79	Simian Lake	C	3.9 ft	-	25 µg/L
80	Namakan Lake	C	8.2 ft	150 ft	-
81	Rainy Lake	C	9.5 ft	161 ft	-
82	Sand Point Lake	C	7.5 ft	184 ft	-
83	Oslo Lake	C	9.2 ft	36 ft	-
84	Namakan Lake	C	9.8 ft	150 ft	-
85	Jorgens Lake	C	7.2 ft	21 ft	-
86	Rainy Lake	C	7.2 ft	161 ft	-
87	War Club Lake	C	7.9 ft	40 ft	-
88	Pelican Lake	C	7.5 ft	38 ft	-
89	Birch Lake	C	3.9 ft	25 ft	21 µg/L
90	Unnamed Lake	C	4.8 ft	7 ft	27 µg/L
91	Colby Lake	C	3.5 ft	30 ft	22 µg/L
92	Sand Lake	C	9 ft	15 ft	-
93	West Vermilion Lake	C	7.9 ft	76 ft	-
94	Fairy Lake	C	7 ft	19 ft	-
95	Bassett Lake	C	8 ft	21 ft	-
96	Elbow Lake	C	7 ft	60 ft	-
97	Everett Lake	C	7 ft	15 ft	-
98	Wolf Lake	C	9 ft	28 ft	-
99	Wolf Lake	C	6.6 ft	10 ft	20 µg/L
100	Flowage Lake	C	8.5 ft	15 ft	-
101	Elliot Lake	C	6.2 ft	13 ft	20.5 µg/L
102	Cedar Island Lake	C	3.8 ft	-	21 µg/L
103	Blackduck Lake	C	6.8 ft	30 ft	-
104	Spring Lake	C	9.5 ft	25 ft	-
105	Bear Island Lake	C	7 ft	62 ft	-
106	Little Sturgeon Lake	C	4.8 ft	22 ft	21 µg/L
107	Aerie Lake	C	9 ft	37 ft	-
108	Nichols Lake	C	5.1 ft	31 ft	20.5 µg/L
109	Heikkilla Lake	C	5 ft	7 ft	27.5 µg/L
110	Shagawa Lake	C	8.9 ft	48 ft	-
111	Pequaywan Lake	C	8.5 ft	33 ft	-
112	Leora Lake	C	7 ft	35 ft	46 µg/L
113	Warren Lake	C	7 ft	-	-
114	Lac la Croix Lake	C	8.6 ft	168 ft	-
115	W Two Rivers Reservoir	C	6.4 ft	27 ft	28 µg/L
116	Ace Lake	C	7.5 ft	8 ft	-
117	Wagosh Lake	C	8 ft	10 ft	-
118	Bear Trap Lake	C	8.2 ft	38 ft	-
119	Fourtown Lake	C	8.2 ft	27 ft	-
120	Meander Lake	C	8.5 ft	25 ft	-
121	Bog Lake	C	3.3 ft	-	14 µg/L
122	Oyster Lake	C	7.3 ft	130 ft	-
123	Trease Lake	C	4.7 ft	-	29 µg/L
124	Stone Lake	C	-	-	30.5 µg/L
125	Quill Lake	C	9.8 ft	46 ft	-
126	Little Rice Lake	C	-	-	50 µg/L
127	Winkle Lake	C	-	-	32 µg/L
128	Breda Lake	C	-	-	32 µg/L
129	East Twin Lake	C	2.8 ft	-	34 µg/L
130	South Sturgeon Lake	C	2.5 ft	43 ft	20 µg/L
131	Strand Lake	C	3.5 ft	16 ft	50 µg/L
132	Elbow Lake	C	3.6 ft	22 ft	52.5 µg/L
133	Carey Lake	C	4.9 ft	13.5 ft	30 µg/L
134	Susan Lake	C	3.6 ft	10 ft	32 µg/L
135	Mashkenode Lake	C	4.2 ft	14 ft	50.5 µg/L
136	Thirty-Six Lake	C	3 ft	-	22 µg/L
137	Kabetogama Lake	D	4.4 ft	80 ft	-
138	Little Shoepack Lake	D	6.2 ft	25 ft	-
139	Kabetogama Lake	D	3.8 ft	80 ft	-
140	Rainy Lake	D	5.9 ft	161 ft	-
141	Kabetogama Lake	D	4.8 ft	80 ft	-
142	Kabetogama Lake	D	5.9 ft	80 ft	-
143	Agnes Lake	D	5.2 ft	18 ft	-
144	Sand Point Lake	D	6.6 ft	184 ft	-
145	Quarter Line Lake	D	4.6 ft	22 ft	-
146	Sand Point Lake	D	5.9 ft	184 ft	-
147	Crane Lake	D	6.6 ft	80 ft	-
148	Namakan Lake	D	4.1 ft	150 ft	-
149	Kabetogama Lake	D	5.9 ft	80 ft	-
150	East Vermilion Lake	D	6.5 ft	76 ft	-
151	One Pine Lake	D	4 ft	13 ft	-
152	Prairie Lake	D	4.8 ft	47 ft	-
153	Bear Lake	D	3.3 ft	-	31 µg/L
154	Bass Lake	D	4.2 ft	-	-
155	Briar Lake	D	6 ft	21 ft	-
156	Finberg Lake	D	6 ft	18 ft	-
157	Crane Lake	D	6 ft	80 ft	-
158	Sunday Lake	D	6.3 ft	-	-
159	Side Lake	D	5.2 ft	-	-
160	Boot Lake	D	5.5 ft	27 ft	-
161	Schubert Lake	D	6.5 ft	24 ft	-
162	Vermilion Lake	D	4 ft	-	-
163	Jacobs Lake	D	4.5 ft	9 ft	-
164	Alden Lake	D	4.9 ft	29 ft	-
165	Lower Comstock Lake	D	4.5 ft	30 ft	-
166	Otto Lake	D	6 ft	27 ft	-
167	Lower Pauness Lake	D	5.7 ft	36 ft	-
168	Esquagama Lake	D	3.5 ft	90 ft	-
169	Nibin Lake	D	5.6 ft	40 ft	-
170	Ban Lake	D	6 ft	10 ft	-
171	Kabetogama Lake	F	2.6 ft	80 ft	-
172	Shell Lake	F	3 ft	15 ft	-
173	Thompson Lake	F	3 ft	9 ft	-
174	Wolf Lake	F	2 ft	12 ft	-
175	Whiteface Reservoir	F	3 ft	35 ft	-
176	Blueberry Lake	F	2 ft	6 ft	-
177	Johnson Lake	F	3 ft	18 ft	-
178	Sprite Lake	F	3 ft	16 ft	-
179	Markham Lake	F	3 ft	29 ft	-
180	Kauppi Lake	F	3 ft	-	-

Other Counties in Minnesota

Cass County

132 lakes · Avg grade B

Unknown County

6 lakes · Avg grade B

Hubbard County

76 lakes · Avg grade B

Crow Wing County

120 lakes · Avg grade B

Clearwater County

40 lakes · Avg grade B

Beltrami County

92 lakes · Avg grade B

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.