Cable Lake
Cable Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 193.51 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 194 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Polk County
Cable Lake is a 194-acre mesotrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Cable Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. 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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Cable Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cable Lake in Polk 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 | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 194 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Maple Lake EastPublic
Fishing Cable Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1990-08-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 81.59 | 0.17 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 8.75 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.25 | 0.24 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.17 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.79 | 2.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.67 | 0.3 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1990-08-20 survey
NORTHERN PIKE RECRUITMENT APPEARS SPORADIC ALTHOUG H ABUNDANCE IS AVERAGE FOR SIMILAR LAKE TYPES. GR OWTH RATES ARE RAPID AND AVERAGE WEIGHTS ARE ABOVE NORMAL (>4 LB.) FOR PIKE. THE INCREASING BLUE- GILL POPULATION EXHIBITS AVERAGE ABUNDANCE AND GOO D INDIVIDUAL GROWTH RATES. BLACK CRAPPIE NUMBERS ARE LOW BUT HAVE…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cable Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CableFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CableFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.33 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.14 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Cable 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 MN60-0305-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 19 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Cable Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cable Lake?
- Cable Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 193.51 acres.
Is Cable Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Cable Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Cable Lake?
- Cable Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 193.51 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Cable Lake?
- Cable Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Maple Lake East. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cable Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA65 samples · 2021–2025
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