Arrowhead Lake
Arrowhead Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 296.37 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.9 ft
- Max depth
- 13 ft
- Area
- 296 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Arrowhead Lake is a 296-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Arrowhead Lake ranks #71 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 27 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Arrowhead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Arrowhead Lake in Crow Wing 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.
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Arrowhead Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (40,179 cells/mL) on May 10, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 296 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| 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 Arrowhead Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-03 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| GOS | 113.76 | 0.06 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 28.40 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.24 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Crappie | 15.71 | 0.53 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.77 | 0.65 lb |
| SUN | 8.72 | — |
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.
GOS
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2024-06-03 survey
Northern pike were sampled in high numbers at 21.0/net. Average length was 20.5", with 13% measuring 26" or larger. Fish up to 32.9" were sampled. Walleyes are not stocked into Arrowhead but are stocked annually as fry and every other year as fingerlings into the Whitefish Chain. Only one Walleye measuring 26.3" was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Arrowhead Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ArrowheadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.017 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.08 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Arrowhead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0310-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.64 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #71 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Arrowhead Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Arrowhead Lake
What is the water quality grade for Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 296.37 acres.
Is Arrowhead Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Arrowhead Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Arrowhead Lake?
- Arrowhead Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 296.37 acres.
What fish are in Arrowhead Lake?
- Fish species found in Arrowhead Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Arrowhead Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Does Arrowhead Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Arrowhead Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (40,179 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Arrowhead Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
89 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA89 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder