Beltrami Lake
Beltrami Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 11.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 726 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Beltrami County
Beltrami Lake is a 726-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded A 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 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Beltrami Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beltrami 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.
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Water Temperature
Beltrami Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Average Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 726 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beltrami LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 29.45 | — |
| Bluegill | 27.35 | 0.17 lb |
| SUN | 17.88 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 16.47 | 0.12 lb |
| IOD | 13.05 | — |
| CSH | 11.13 | 0.07 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
CSH
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.119 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (47 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-23 (2012) | 2014-05-13 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-08 (2019) | 2002-12-15 (2002) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-06
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0135-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #30 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Beltrami Lake
What is the water quality grade for Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Beltrami Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Beltrami Lake?
- Beltrami Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Beltrami Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate