Clark Lake
Clark Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 305.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 31 ft
- Area
- 305 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Clark Lake is a 305-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Clark Lake ranks #57 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Clark Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clark Lake in Crow Wing 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
Clark Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clark Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 31 ft |
| Surface Area | 305 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 86% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clark LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clark 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 44.40 | 0.55 lb |
| Bluegill | 41.53 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 37.32 | 0.34 lb |
| BNS | 29.58 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 26.47 | 0.17 lb |
| BCS | 23.07 | — |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
From the 2021-06-01 survey
Clark Lake is a 343 acre lake located in west-central Crow Wing County with a maximum depth of 31'. Due to the fertility of the lake, periodic partial winterkills have been known to occur in the past. There are no recent winterkills on record. Walleye have been stocked in the past as fry after winterkill events and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clark Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClarkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clark (0194)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClarkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClarkPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.188 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Clark 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 MN18-0375-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.83 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #57 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Clark Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 305.41 acres.
Is Clark Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Clark Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet. The lake covers 305.41 acres.
What fish are in Clark Lake?
- Fish species found in Clark Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clark Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clark Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Clark Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Clark Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
126 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA126 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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