Cantlin Lake
Cantlin Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 227 days
Next lake in Sherburne County
Why Cantlin Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Cantlin Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Cantlin Lake is a lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-07-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Cantlin Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Cantlin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cantlin Lake in Sherburne 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 Cantlin Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Cantlin Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cantlin Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.15 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (47 observations).
Estimated open water season: 227 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-09 (2000) | 1996-04-23 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-03 (1991) | 1998-12-20 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-04-21
EPA Impairment Status
Cantlin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN71-0046-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.04 km)
Graded lakes near Cantlin Lake
Cantlin Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Cantlin Lake
What is the water quality grade for Cantlin Lake?
- Cantlin Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility.
Is Cantlin Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Cantlin Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Cantlin Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Cantlin Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
What fish are in Cantlin Lake?
- Fish species found in Cantlin Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Cantlin Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
When does Cantlin Lake thaw?
- Cantlin Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 227 days.
Explore Cantlin Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate