Clearwater Lake
Clearwater Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 54 ft
- Area
- 905 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 12
- Open water
- 233 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
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). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Clearwater Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clearwater 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Clearwater Lake
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Water Temperature
Clearwater Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 54 ft |
| Average Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 905 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clearwater LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.30 | — |
| Smallmouth Bass | 19.03 | 1.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.43 | 0.96 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 16.01 | 0.07 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.03 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 8.73 | 2.14 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.108 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (34 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-03 (2017) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-21 (2014) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-04-03
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0038-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Clearwater Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Clearwater Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Clearwater Lake?
- Clearwater Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
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Crow Wing County · Grade A
Crow Wing County · Grade A
Crow Wing County · Grade A
Crow Wing County · Grade A
Crow Wing County · Grade A
Crow Wing County · Grade A
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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate