Bass Lake
Beltrami County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bass Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
Bass Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L.
Bass Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Bass Lake ranks #50 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bass 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 Bass Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bass Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.6µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bass Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bass Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Jan (about 34°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (34°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bass Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bass Lake in Beltrami 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 Bass Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Bass Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Bass Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Bass Lake
Where is Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake is a lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L.
Is Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bass Lake?
- Bass Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Bass Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Bass Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
96 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Red Lake DNR
REDLAKE_WQX96 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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.