Bartlett Lake
Koochiching County, Minnesota304 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bartlett Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
Bartlett Lake in Koochiching County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 304.22 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 13, 2021 caught 19.33 northern pike per gill net at Bartlett Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–24 inches. DNR survey details →
Bartlett Lake is a 304-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Koochiching County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Koochiching County, Bartlett Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bartlett Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bartlett Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bartlett Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bartlett Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bartlett Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 12.4 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 31.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 12.4µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Bartlett Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bartlett Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Jun (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 37 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bartlett Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 13, 2021 caught 19.33 northern pike per gill net at Bartlett Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bartlett Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-13 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2021-07-13 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 69.98 | 4–12 in 2012-07-16 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 57.16 | 5–11 in 2021-07-13 | 0.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 20.38 | 3–11 in 2016-07-11 | 0.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.02 | 17–24 in 2021-07-13 | 2.58 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.88 | 10–11 in 2012-07-16 | 0.48 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2021-07-13 survey
Bartlett Lake is a 304-acre lake located on the northeastern edge of the town of Northome, MN. Bartlett is a highly productive lake that has a history of frequent winterkill events. Between winterkill events, Bartlett is capable of quickly rebounding to provide fish that are of interest to anglers. A winterkill event…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bartlett Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BartlettFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bartlett (1966)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BartlettFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BartlettPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
304 acres
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Littoral zone
96%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,391 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bartlett LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bartlett Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bartlett Lake in Koochiching 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 Bartlett Lake
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Follow Bartlett Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bartlett Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2022–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Improving-4.2 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.67 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Bartlett Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN36-0018-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Bartlett Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- NorthomeNorthome · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0049158
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Koochiching County
Frequently asked questions about Bartlett Lake
Where is Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake is a lake in Koochiching County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake in Koochiching County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 12.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 304.22 acres.
Is Bartlett Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bartlett Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 37 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 304.22 acres.
What fish are in Bartlett Lake?
- Fish species found in Bartlett Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Bartlett Lake is located in Koochiching County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bartlett Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 13, 2021 caught 19.33 northern pike per gill net at Bartlett Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 17–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bartlett Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bartlett Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bartlett Lake?
- Bartlett Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bartlett Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Koochiching County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
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Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA63 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory