Black Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota271 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Black Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Black Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 270.57 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2017 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Black Lake. DNR survey details →
Black Lake is a 271-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Black Lake ranks #46 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Black Lake covers about 270 acres in Beltrami County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Black Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Black Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.3 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Deep water42 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Black 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 Black Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Black 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 10.3 ft. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.7 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 24µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.7µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Black Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2017 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Black Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Black 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-11 (Standard Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2017-07-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 44.70 | 4–9 in 2017-07-11 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 16.61 | 0.64 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 5.64 | 16–34 in 2017-07-11 | 2.51 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.99 | 3–12 in 2017-07-11 | 0.44 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.79 | 3–10 in 2017-07-11 | 0.47 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.65 | 3–6 in 2017-07-11 | 0.17 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.
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
Bluegill
From the 2017-07-11 survey
Black Lake is a relatively quiet and remote waterbody located north of Three Island Lake in south-central Beltrami County. The lake covers 271 acres and has a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water clarity is roughly 8 feet. The lake flows into Three Island Lake on the Turtle River chain though a culvert under Black Lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Black Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlackFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
271 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,335 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Black Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Black 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 Black Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Black Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.97 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.22 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Black Lake
Where is Black Lake?
- Black 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 Black Lake?
- Black Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 270.57 acres.
Is Black Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Black Lake?
- Black Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 270.57 acres.
What fish are in Black Lake?
- Fish species found in Black Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Black Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Black Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2017 caught 2.50 walleye per gill net at Black Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Black 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.
Can I fish at Black Lake?
- Public access to Black Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Black Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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 Black Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
64 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
MNPCA64 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder