Ban Lake
Ban Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 389.29 acres.
- Clarity
- 6 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 389 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Ban 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 Ban 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.
Ban Lake is a 389-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-05-30. 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 Ban Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Ban Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ban 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 Ban Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Ban Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 17 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ban Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 389 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Myrtle LakePublic
- Ban LakePublic
- Elbow Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ban Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.27 | 0.1 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.11 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.49 | 0.31 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.32 | 1.96 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.94 | 1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.86 | 2.99 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Black Crappie
White Sucker
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Ban Lake is located approximately seven miles east of Orr, Minnesota. This 389-acre lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and dark tannin-stained water. A fisheries survey was completed on Ban Lake in 2025 as part of a regular rotation of surveys in the International Falls Fisheries Management Area. Ban Lake follows…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ban Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Ban Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0742-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Ban Lake
Ban Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Ban Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ban Lake?
- Ban Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 389.29 acres.
Is Ban Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Ban Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ban Lake?
- Ban Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 17 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ban Lake?
- Ban Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 389.29 acres.
What fish are in Ban Lake?
- Fish species found in Ban Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Ban Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Ban Lake?
- Ban Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Myrtle Lake, Ban Lake, Elbow Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ban Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA6 samples · 2023–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory