Blackface Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota192 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Blackface Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Blackface Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 191.8 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 2, 1986 caught 9.67 northern pike per gill net at Blackface Lake. DNR survey details →
Blackface Lake is a 192-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Blackface Lake covers about 190 acres in Aitkin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 19, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Blackface Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Blackface Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Blackface 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 Blackface Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Blackface 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 8 ft. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Blackface Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Blackface Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Blackface Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 2, 1986 caught 9.67 northern pike per gill net at Blackface Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Blackface 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1986-09-02 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1986-09-02 (Standard Survey)
40 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 32.00 | 0.23 lb | |
| Brown Bullhead | 21.04 | 0.39 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 8.00 | 0.28 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 5.21 | 2.46 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.53 | 0.13 lb | |
| Bluegill | 0.38 | 0.83 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.
From the 1986-09-02 survey
Northern pike and brown bullhead indices are above the third regional quartile. The catch indices for black bullhead, pumpkinseed, largemouth bass and yellow perch are between the first and third regional quartiles. The index of abundance for blue- gill is below the first regional quartile. The indices of abundance…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Blackface Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlackfaceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Blackface (0121)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BlackfacePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
192 acres
Shoreline
3.5 mi
Littoral zone
89%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,289 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Blackface 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 Blackface Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blackface Lake in Aitkin 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 Blackface Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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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 Blackface Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Mar 21, 2012 · Latest May 9, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 18
Earliest Nov 5, 2017 · Latest Nov 30, 2009
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2024
35 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Blackface Lake
Where is Blackface Lake?
- Blackface Lake is a lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Blackface Lake?
- Blackface Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 191.8 acres.
Is Blackface 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 Blackface Lake?
- Blackface Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Blackface Lake?
- Blackface Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 191.8 acres.
What fish are in Blackface Lake?
- Fish species found in Blackface Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, yellow perch. Blackface Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Blackface Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 2, 1986 caught 9.67 northern pike per gill net at Blackface Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Blackface 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 Blackface Lake thaw?
- Blackface Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Are there boat ramps on Blackface Lake?
- Blackface Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Blackface Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Blackface Lake?
- Blackface 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.
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA24 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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.
Other records on this page
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