Clearwater Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota905 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Clearwater Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 54 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Clearwater Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 905.49 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 4.83 walleye per gill net at Clearwater Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–30 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Clearwater Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Clearwater Lake is a 905-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 54 feet (24-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Clearwater Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Clearwater Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 12
- Deep water54 ft surveyed max depth
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. Clearwater Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Clearwater 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 Clearwater Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Clearwater Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Clearwater Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Clearwater Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 64 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clearwater Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (23,768 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 4.83 walleye per gill net at Clearwater Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clearwater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.30 | ||
| Smallmouth Bass | 19.03 | 3–20 in 2025-08-04 | 1.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.43 | 5–18 in 2025-08-04 | 0.96 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 16.01 | 5 in 2025-08-04 | 0.07 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.03 | 3–8 in 2025-08-04 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 8.73 | 10–30 in 2025-08-04 | 2.14 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Clearwater Lake is a 905-acre lake near the city of Deerwood in Crow Wing County. The public access is located 4 miles south of Deerwood on Crow Wing County Road 8. Smallmouth Bass is the primary management species. Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye and Black Crappie are secondary management species. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clearwater Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearwaterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clearwater (0067)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearwaterFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearwaterPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
54 ft
Average depth
24 ft
Surface area
905 acres
Shoreline
8.5 mi
Littoral zone
28%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
40 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,230 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clearwater LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Clearwater Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Clearwater Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clearwater 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 12
Earliest Apr 3, 2017 · Latest May 12, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 21, 2014 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 3
2017
34 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Clearwater 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 MN18-0038-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Lake
Where is Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 54 ft. Surface area: 905.49 acres.
Is Clearwater Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clearwater 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 Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 64 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake has a maximum depth of 54 feet and an average depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 905.49 acres.
What fish are in Clearwater Lake?
- Fish species found in Clearwater Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clearwater Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Clearwater Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 4.83 walleye per gill net at Clearwater Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–30 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clearwater Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Clearwater Lake thaw?
- Clearwater Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 12. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Does Clearwater Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clearwater Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (23,768 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clearwater Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater 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.
Explore Clearwater Lake across LakeQuality
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Compare Clearwater Lake With Nearby Lakes
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Crow Wing County · 14.4 ft
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Crow Wing County · 15.5 ft
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Crow Wing County · 13.5 ft
Where this data comes from
60 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA60 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate