Agnes Lake
Agnes Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1044.61 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 1,045 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Agnes Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Agnes Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Agnes Lake is a 1,045-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, cisco species, and northern pike. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Agnes Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Agnes Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Agnes Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Agnes Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,045 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 13 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Agnes Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| CIS | 14.67 | 0.36 lb |
| Walleye | 7.42 | 0.96 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 6.00 | 0.15 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.05 | 1.94 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.08 | 2.44 lb |
| SIL | 3.56 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
CIS
Walleye
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
From the 2016-06-20 survey
Agnes Lake is located about 24 miles northwest of Ely and is within the Superior National Forest's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). There are four accesses, three of which are portages and one is a water route. Accesses consist of the inlet of the Moose River, a 160 rod portage to the Oyster River, a 24…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Agnes Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AgnesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -1.87 m/yr | 3 |
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Agnes Lake
What is the water quality grade for Agnes Lake?
- Agnes Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1044.61 acres.
Is Agnes Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Agnes Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Agnes Lake?
- Agnes Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 1044.61 acres.
What fish are in Agnes Lake?
- Fish species found in Agnes Lake include black crappie, cisco species, northern pike, rock bass, sauger, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Agnes Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA8 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (5)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder