Boxell Lake
Boxell Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 65.82 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 66 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cass County
Boxell Lake is a 66-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Boxell Lake ranks #77 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Boxell Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Boxell Lake in Cass 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
Boxell Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Oct (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 172 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Boxell Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 66 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 74% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Boxell Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 20.60 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.00 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.92 | 2.91 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.65 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.14 | 0.27 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 0.86 | 0.89 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
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2014-06-16 survey
Boxell Lake is a 60-acre lake located near Longville, MN that has 2.14 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 27 ft. There is user-developed access on the southwest shore of the lake. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) has classified Minnesota lakes into 43 different classes based on physical,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Boxell Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BoxellFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Boxell (1582)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.328 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.14 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Boxell 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 MN11-0174-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.38 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #77 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Boxell Lake
What is the water quality grade for Boxell Lake?
- Boxell Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 65.82 acres.
Is Boxell Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Boxell Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Boxell Lake?
- Boxell Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 172 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Boxell Lake?
- Boxell Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 65.82 acres.
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Where this data comes from
75 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX45 samples · 2023–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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