Bluewater Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota364 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bluewater Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 120 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Bluewater Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 16, 2024 caught 0.11 walleye per trap net at Bluewater Lake. DNR survey details →
Bluewater Lake is a 364-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 120 feet. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and green sunfish. Public access is available. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Bluewater Lake covers about 360 acres in Itasca County. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Bluewater Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Bluewater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water18.5 ft of visibility
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water120 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 Bluewater 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 Bluewater Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bluewater Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 18.5 ft down. Phosphorus 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 33.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 18.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/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. | 33 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Bluewater Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bluewater Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (65°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 16, 2024 caught 0.11 walleye per trap net at Bluewater Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bluewater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-16 (Targeted Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-16 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.55 | ||
| Bluegill | 11.32 | 3–8 in 2024-07-16 | 0.15 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.69 | 3–5 in 2024-07-16 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.83 | 6–9 in 2024-07-16 | 0.16 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
120 ft
Surface area
364 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Littoral zone
20%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,322 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Bluewater Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Bluewater Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bluewater Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 15, 2015 · Latest May 7, 2022
Typical ice-in
Dec 2
Earliest Nov 26, 2002 · Latest Dec 13, 2004
Most recent ice-out
May 7
2022
15 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Bluewater Lake
Where is Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bluewater Lake?
- Bluewater Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bluewater Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 16, 2024 caught 0.11 walleye per trap net at Bluewater Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bluewater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Bluewater Lake?
- Public access to Bluewater 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 Bluewater Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Bluewater Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate