Blind Lake
Blind Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 304.37 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 304 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
Next lake in Aitkin County
Why Blind Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Blind Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Blind Lake is a 304-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Blind Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Blind Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blind 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 Blind Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Blind Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Blind Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Blind Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL) on October 4, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 304 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 104% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Blind LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blind Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2026-03-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.19 | 0.27 lb |
| CNM | 17.09 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 10.53 | 0.19 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.19 | 0.27 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.07 | 0.68 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.45 | 0.83 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
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
From the 2026-03-05 survey
This survey was conducted on 3/5/2026 to gauge the likelihood of a winterkill occurring on Blind Lake. Winter dissolved oxygen levels were good for Blind Lake and likely tolerable based on this survey with 5.9 ppm below the ice and 1.3 ppm near the bottom. Therefore, it seemed unlikely for any significant winterkill…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Blind Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlindFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Blind (0011)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BlindPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.214 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-05 (2015) | 2013-05-09 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2015-11-22 (2015) | 2021-11-25 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-30
EPA Impairment Status
Blind Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0188-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Blind Lake
Blind Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Blind Lake
What is the water quality grade for Blind Lake?
- Blind Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 304.37 acres.
Is Blind Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Blind Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Blind Lake?
- Blind Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Blind Lake?
- Blind Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 304.37 acres.
What fish are in Blind Lake?
- Fish species found in Blind Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Blind Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Blind Lake thaw?
- Blind Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27.
Does Blind Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Blind Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (285,759 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Blind Lake?
- Blind Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Blind Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Blind Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA40 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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