Clara Lake
Clara Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 387.64 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 388 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cook County
Clara Lake is a 388-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Clara Lake ranks #27 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-08-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Clara Lake water quality
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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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Clara Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clara Lake in Cook 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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Water Temperature
Clara Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2016–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clara Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 388 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clara LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clara Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BNS | 54.00 | — |
| GOS | 8.38 | — |
| Bluegill | 5.98 | 0.2 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.67 | 1.96 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.81 | 0.26 lb |
| Walleye | 3.76 | 1.49 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
White Sucker
Yellow Perch
Walleye
From the 2023-06-05 survey
Clara Lake lies within the Lake Superior North watershed. It lies between Wills Lake (upstream) and White Pine Lake (downstream) in the Tait River system, draining to Lake Superior via the Tait and Poplar Rivers. It is located approximately 12 miles north of Lutsen and access to the lake is through a public boat…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clara Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClaraFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clara (1797)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClaraPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.37 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -5.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +5.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Clara 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 MN16-0365-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Clara Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 387.64 acres.
Is Clara Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Clara Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 387.64 acres.
What fish are in Clara Lake?
- Fish species found in Clara Lake include bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Clara Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clara Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clara Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Clara Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2021–2022
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