Charlotte Lake
Charlotte Lake in Stevens County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 238.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 104.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 468.34 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 468 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Charlotte Lake →
Next lake in Stevens County
Charlotte Lake is a 468-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Stevens County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 20 feet (13-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Stevens County, Charlotte Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 0.9 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 238.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 104.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 79.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 238.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 104.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 79 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Charlotte Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Charlotte Lake in Stevens 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Charlotte Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Charlotte Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Charlotte Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 54 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Charlotte Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Charlotte Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (2,032,357 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Average Depth | 13.3 ft |
| Surface Area | 468 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 91% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Long LakePublic
- Lake CharlottePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Charlotte Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 49.88 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.48 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.05 | 0.14 lb |
| OSS | 9.37 | 0.03 lb |
| Common Carp | 6.74 | 2.98 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.32 | 2.14 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
OSS
From the 2023-05-02 survey
This targeted survey was completed to determine extent of winterkill following the severe 2022-2023 winter. Trap netting results indicated winterkill severity was high and restorative stockings were warranted. Black Bullheads and Fathead Minnows were the only fishes sampled. No gamefish species were collected. Walleye…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Charlotte Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CharlotteFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Charlotte (1355)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CharlotteFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CharlottePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Charlotte 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 MN75-0046-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Stevens County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Charlotte Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Stevens County
Frequently asked questions about Charlotte Lake
What is the water quality grade for Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake in Stevens County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 238.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 104.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 468.34 acres.
Is Charlotte Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Charlotte Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 104.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 54 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 13.3 feet. The lake covers 468.34 acres.
What fish are in Charlotte Lake?
- Fish species found in Charlotte Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, common carp, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Charlotte Lake is located in Stevens County, Minnesota.
Does Charlotte Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Charlotte Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (2,032,357 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Charlotte Lake?
- Charlotte Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Long Lake, Lake Charlotte. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Charlotte Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stevens County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Charlotte Lake
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Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA16 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory