Blueberry Lake
Blueberry Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 49 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 124.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Max depth
- 6 ft
- Area
- 125 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Blueberry Lake is a 125-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet (4-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Blueberry Lake ranks #47 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 49 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 49 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Blueberry Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blueberry Lake in St. Louis 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 | 6 ft |
| Average Depth | 4 ft |
| Surface Area | 125 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Blueberry LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blueberry Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-07-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| TPM | 20.92 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.03 | 0.21 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.08 | 1.63 lb |
| Bluegill | 3.58 | 0.61 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.16 | 2.73 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.44 | 0.54 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
Bluegill
White Sucker
From the 2020-07-08 survey
Blueberry Lake is a 125 acre lake located 7 miles south of Ely. The lake has one access which is a ramp on the outlet of the lake with the main lake located just upstream. Blueberry has a maximum depth of 6 feet and dark brown bog-stained water. On July 10, 2020 Blueberry Lake was thermally mixed with a surface…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Blueberry Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlueberryFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Blueberry (1885)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BlueberryPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.056 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Blueberry Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0054-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #47 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Blueberry Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Blueberry Lake
What is the water quality grade for Blueberry Lake?
- Blueberry Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 49 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 124.56 acres.
Is Blueberry Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Blueberry Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Blueberry Lake?
- Blueberry Lake has a maximum depth of 6 feet and an average depth of 4 feet. The lake covers 124.56 acres.
What fish are in Blueberry Lake?
- Fish species found in Blueberry Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Blueberry Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Blueberry Lake?
- Blueberry Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Blueberry Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
40 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA40 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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