Black Lake
Black Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 10.3 ft
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 271 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Beltrami County
Black Lake is a 271-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 with 1 public boat landing. 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. 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 10.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 271 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 46% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Three Island LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Black Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 44.70 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 16.61 | 0.64 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.64 | 2.51 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.99 | 0.44 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.79 | 0.47 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.65 | 0.17 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.097 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.97 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.22 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Black Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0134-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.74 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #46 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Black Lake
What is the water quality grade for Black Lake?
- Black Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Black Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
Are there boat ramps on Black Lake?
- Black Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Three Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Black Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
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