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LakeQuality

Chase Lake

NR
Not yet rated
21.7 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 211 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

Chase Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 21.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 211.34 acres.

Clarity
21.7 ft
Max depth
95 ft
Area
211 acres
Public access
No

Next lake in Itasca County

DWhite Oak Lake3.3 ft clear · Itasca CountyView →
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Why Chase 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 Chase Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.

Chase Lake is a 211-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Grand Rapids

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Water quality measurements for Chase Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Crystal clear, you can see 21.7 ft down. Trophic State Index: 33.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)21.7 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)33Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Chase Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Chase Lake in Itasca 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 Chase 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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth95 ft
Surface Area211 acres
Shoreline Length2.9 mi
Littoral Zone32%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Elevation
1,319 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Chase Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-01 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill7.850.16 lb
Largemouth Bass5.871.01 lb
Northern Pike5.541.48 lb
Black Crappie4.000.58 lb
Yellow Perch3.010.18 lb
Tullibee (Cisco)2.410.51 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

72 fish · 39 in · 2016-08-01
1890trophy 103456789

Largemouth Bass

92 fish · 517 in · 2016-08-01
1790567891011121314151617

Northern Pike

47 fish · 1240 in · 2016-08-01
950trophy 36121416182022242628303234363840

Black Crappie

59 fish · 512 in · 2016-08-01
21110trophy 1056789101112

From the 2023-08-01 survey

A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in the deepest basin on Chase Lake on August 1, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profile, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Chase Lake. 2 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

EPA Impairment Status

Chase Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0749-00 · Official waterbody report

Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby

1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Chase Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.

  • Deer River Wwtp
    Deer River · 1.7 mi away · NPDES MN0051616

Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.

Graded lakes near Chase Lake

Chase Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Itasca County

Frequently asked questions about Chase Lake

What is the water quality grade for Chase Lake?

Chase Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 21.7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 211.34 acres.

Is Chase Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Chase 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 Chase Lake?

Chase Lake has a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake covers 211.34 acres.

What fish are in Chase Lake?

Fish species found in Chase Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Chase Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.

Where this data comes from

1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA1 sample · 2024

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

Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder