Beltrami Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota726 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Beltrami Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 50 ft max depth
- Public access
Beltrami Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 725.82 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 263.98 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Beltrami Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches. DNR survey details →
Beltrami Lake is a 726-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet (13-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Beltrami Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Beltrami Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water50 ft surveyed max depth
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. Beltrami Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Beltrami 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 Beltrami Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Beltrami Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.3 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.3µg/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 Beltrami Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Beltrami Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 97 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beltrami Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 263.98 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Beltrami Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beltrami Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 29.45 | ||
| Bluegill | 27.35 | 2–9 in 2024-06-10 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 16.47 | 5–9 in 2021-08-16 | 0.12 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-06-10 survey
In spring 2021, a daily bag limit reduction for sunfish (5 fish/day) was implemented on Lake Beltrami as part of the statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI). The goal of this special regulation is to maintain or improve Bluegill size structure by reducing angler harvest. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beltrami Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeltramiFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Beltrami (1738)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeltramiFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeltramiPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
50 ft
Average depth
13 ft
Surface area
726 acres
Shoreline
7.2 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
68 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,335 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beltrami 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 Beltrami Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beltrami 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.86 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.47 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 23, 2012 · Latest May 13, 2014
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 8, 2019 · Latest Dec 15, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Apr 6
2024
47 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beltrami Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Movil Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the TURTLE RIVER; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 55 ft long.
- Surface area
- 853 ac
- Normal storage
- 12,960 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,018 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 56.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00015 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.99 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Beltrami 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0135-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Beltrami Lake
Where is Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami 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 Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 725.82 acres.
Is Beltrami Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Beltrami Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 97 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 725.82 acres.
What fish are in Beltrami Lake?
- Fish species found in Beltrami Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Beltrami Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Beltrami Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2024 caught 263.98 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Beltrami Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Beltrami Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Beltrami Lake thaw?
- Beltrami Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Are there boat ramps on Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beltrami Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami 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 Beltrami Lake across LakeQuality
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Compare Beltrami Lake With Nearby Lakes
Beltrami County · 12.5 ft
Beltrami County · 8.5 ft
Beltrami County · 10.2 ft
Beltrami County · 14 ft
Beltrami County · 11.8 ft
Beltrami County · 9.7 ft
Where this data comes from
173 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA173 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate