Bluewater Lake
Bluewater Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 120 ft. Surface area: 364.22 acres.
- Clarity
- 18.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 120 ft
- Area
- 364 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 23
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Itasca County
Bluewater Lake is a 364-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 120 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Bluewater Lake ranks #24 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 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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 18.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 33.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Bluewater Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bluewater Lake in Itasca 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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Water Temperature
Bluewater Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 178 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bluewater Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 120 ft |
| Surface Area | 364 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 20% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pughole LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bluewater Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-16 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 126.34 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.55 | — |
| Bluegill | 11.32 | 0.15 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.69 | 0.16 lb |
| IOD | 8.38 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 7.83 | 0.16 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
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-16 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Bluewater Lake was conducted beginning on July 16th, 2024 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bluewater Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BluewaterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bluewater (0653)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BluewaterFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.019 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (15 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-15 (2015) | 2022-05-07 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-26 (2002) | 2004-12-13 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-07
EPA Impairment Status
Bluewater Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0392-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.31 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Bluewater Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 120 ft. Surface area: 364.22 acres.
Is Bluewater Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Bluewater Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, from 178 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake has a maximum depth of 120 feet. The lake covers 364.22 acres.
What fish are in Bluewater Lake?
- Fish species found in Bluewater Lake include black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bluewater Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Bluewater Lake thaw?
- Bluewater Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pughole Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bluewater Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
232 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
MNPCA232 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate