Clara Lake
Cook County, Minnesota388 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Clara Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Clara Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 5, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Clara Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–28 inches. DNR survey details →
Clara Lake is a 388-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Clara Lake covers about 390 acres in Cook County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Clara Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Clara Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Clara Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Clara 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 Clara Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Clara Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.6 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Clara Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Clara Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (69°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 5, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Clara Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–28 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clara Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-05 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-05 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Shiner | 8.38 | ||
| Bluegill | 5.98 | 3–10 in 2023-06-05 | 0.2 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.67 | 12–19 in 2023-06-05 | 1.96 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.81 | 4–7 in 2023-06-05 | 0.26 lb |
| Walleye | 3.76 | 10–28 in 2023-06-05 | 1.49 lb |
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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
388 acres
Shoreline
4.7 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,673 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clara LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Clara Lake
- Clara Lake Rustic Campground1.6 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Clara 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Clara Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clara Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-5.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+5.2 µg/L/yr2 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0365-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Clara Lake
Where is Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clara 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 Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Clara Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 5, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per trap net at Clara Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–28 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clara Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Clara Lake?
- Clara 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.
Are there campgrounds on Clara Lake?
- Clara Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Clara Lake Rustic Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Clara Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest 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 readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Clara Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Clara Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles