Wadena County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 4 lakes, average grade C (Fair)
Wadena County has 4 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. Wadena County averages to a C. The distribution behind that average matters more than the letter: a few stressed lakes versus many decent ones can produce the same average as the inverse.
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. Spirit Lake (A) is the cleanest in the county.
Quick Answers for Wadena County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Spirit Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (13)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Wadena County. Showing 12 most recent — browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StockingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpiritFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lower Twin (1281)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Spirit (1326)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpiritPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Stocking (1327)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StockingFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StockingPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Yaeger (1248)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Wadena County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spirit Lake | A | 15.4 ft | 45 ft | 12 µg/L |
| 2 | Lower Twin Lake | C | 6.9 ft | 26 ft | 34.5 µg/L |
| 3 | Stocking Lake | C | 7.5 ft | 22 ft | 32 µg/L |
| 4 | Yaeger Lake | F | 2.6 ft | - | - |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.