Clark Lake
Clark Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 73.43 acres.
- Max depth
- 44 ft
- Area
- 73 acres
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Clark 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 Clark Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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.
Clark Lake is a 73-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 44 feet (21-foot average). The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, green sunfish, and hybrid sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Clark Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Clark Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clark Lake in St. Louis 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 Clark Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 44 ft |
| Average Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 73 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clark Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-06-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 11.67 | 3.37 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.33 | 0.04 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.33 | 2.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.33 | 0.6 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 0.33 | 0.11 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 0.33 | 0.06 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.
Northern Pike
Bluegill
White Sucker
Largemouth Bass
From the 2013-06-24 survey
Clark Lake is located approximately 12 miles NW of Ely and is entirely within the BWCAW. It has a surface area of 66 acres and a maximum depth of 41 feet. It has the best water clarity of the nearby lakes with a secchi disc reading of 12 feet. Most of the shoreline is slightly steep with pine covered hills and coarse…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clark Lake. 1 report 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
Graded lakes near Clark Lake
Clark Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Clark Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Maximum depth: 44 ft. Surface area: 73.43 acres.
Is Clark Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Clark 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 Clark Lake?
- Clark Lake has a maximum depth of 44 feet and an average depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 73.43 acres.
What fish are in Clark Lake?
- Fish species found in Clark Lake include bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker. Clark Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Explore Clark Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement 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
MNPCA1 sample · 2021
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder