Blackwell Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota307 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Blackwell Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Blackwell Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 307.37 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.89 northern pike per trap net at Blackwell Lake. DNR survey details →
Blackwell Lake is a 307-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet (10-foot average). The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Blackwell Lake ranks #25 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Blackwell Lake covers about 310 acres in Douglas County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Blackwell Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Blackwell Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Blackwell 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 Blackwell Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Blackwell 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 11.5 ft. Phosphorus 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.8 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.8µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Blackwell Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Blackwell Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Sep (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (71°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Blackwell Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.89 northern pike per trap net at Blackwell Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Blackwell Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 33.54 | 6–16 in 2022-07-11 | 0.92 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.30 | 3–7 in 2022-07-11 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.82 | ||
| Green Sunfish | 10.03 | 5 in 1999-08-23 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.76 | 5–9 in 2022-07-11 | 0.29 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Green Sunfish
Black Crappie
From the 2022-07-11 survey
A trap net survey was conducted on Blackwell Lake on July 11-12, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number. The number of Bluegill sampled per…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Blackwell Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlackwellFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Blackwell (1079)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BlackwellPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Average depth
10 ft
Surface area
307 acres
Shoreline
5.2 mi
Littoral zone
66%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,371 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Blackwell Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blackwell Lake in Douglas 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 Blackwell Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blackwell 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.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Blackwell Lake
Where is Blackwell Lake?
- Blackwell Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Blackwell Lake?
- Blackwell Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 307.37 acres.
Is Blackwell 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 Blackwell Lake?
- Blackwell Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Blackwell Lake?
- Blackwell Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 307.37 acres.
What fish are in Blackwell Lake?
- Fish species found in Blackwell Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Blackwell Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Blackwell Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 0.89 northern pike per trap net at Blackwell Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Blackwell Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Blackwell Lake?
- Public access to Blackwell 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 Blackwell Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA14 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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