Cedar Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota1,726 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cedar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 105 ft max depth
- Public access
Cedar Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1725.8 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.35 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Cedar Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 100 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Cedar Lake is a 1,726-acre mesotrophic lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 105 feet (28-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 22 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Aitkin County, Cedar Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Cedar Lake covers about 1,700 acres in Aitkin County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 18, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Cedar Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Cedar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing22 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 18
- Deep water105 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,726 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Cedar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cedar 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 Cedar Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cedar Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.1 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Cedar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cedar Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (64°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cedar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cedar Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (82,414 cells/mL) on May 15, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.35 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
20 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Targeted Survey).
20 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-04 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 43.27 | 6–15 in 2024-08-12 | 0.47 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 30.00 | ||
| Bluegill | 13.54 | 3–8 in 2024-08-12 | 0.11 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 9.20 | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | 7.88 |
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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-04 survey
A temperature-dissolved oxygen (TDO) profile was collected from the main basin to measure the amount of habitat available for Tullibee. The main basin represents the area of Cedar Lake most likely to have adequate conditions for Tullibee survival. The TDO3 (temperature at 3 mg/l dissolved oxygen) was determined to be…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cedar Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CedarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Cedar (0016)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CedarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CedarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
105 ft
Average depth
28 ft
Surface area
1,726 acres
Shoreline
27.6 mi
Littoral zone
23%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
119 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,184 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cedar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cedar Lake in Aitkin 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 Cedar 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Cedar Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Cedar Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 18
Earliest Mar 18, 2016 · Latest May 10, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 23
Earliest Nov 8, 2019 · Latest Dec 1, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Apr 5
2021
22 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Cedar Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0209-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Cedar Lake
Where is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake is a lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1725.8 acres.
Is Cedar Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cedar Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 58 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet and an average depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 1725.8 acres.
What fish are in Cedar Lake?
- Fish species found in Cedar Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Cedar Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cedar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 1.35 walleye per gill net at Cedar Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cedar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Cedar Lake thaw?
- Cedar Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Does Cedar Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Cedar Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (82,414 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cedar Lake?
- Cedar Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Cedar Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
475 measurements from 10 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
MNPCA475 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (10)
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
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