Crane Lake
Crane Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 2920.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.3 ft
- Max depth
- 80 ft
- Area
- 2,921 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Crane 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 Crane Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
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.
Crane Lake is a 2,921-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Crane Lake water quality
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Crane Lake Water Quality Report Card (2026)
A printable one-page report card for Crane Lake: grade, clarity, phosphorus, algae, multi-year trend, depth, and fish — with sources.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Crane Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6.3 ft. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Crane Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crane 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 Crane Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Crane Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 05129200 (Crane Lake at Crane Lake, MN). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crane Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (248,886 cells/mL) on October 26, 2024.
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 | 80 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,921 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 34 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 21% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Crane Lake (East)Public
- Crane Lake (West)Public
- Waters EdgePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crane 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
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-20 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 13.48 | 0.98 lb |
| Walleye | 7.82 | 0.8 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.00 | 0.6 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.50 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.02 | 3.04 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.99 | 2.16 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
Walleye
Tullibee (Cisco)
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-08-20 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Crane Lake on August 20th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco, also…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crane Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CraneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Crane (1910)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CranePublic 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 | -0.135 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-27 (2012) | 2014-05-14 (2014) |
Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-24
EPA Impairment Status
Crane Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0616-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Crane Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Crane Lake WwtpCrane Lake · 1.1 mi away · NPDES MN0066371Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Crane Lake
Crane Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Crane Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 2920.63 acres.
Is Crane Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Crane 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 Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The lake covers 2920.63 acres.
What fish are in Crane Lake?
- Fish species found in Crane Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, muskellunge, northern pike, redhorse, rock bass, sauger, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Crane Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Crane Lake thaw?
- Crane Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27.
What is the water level at Crane Lake?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Crane Lake is 17.88 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 05129200. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Does Crane Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Crane Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (248,886 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Crane Lake (East), Crane Lake (West), Waters Edge. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Crane Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
39 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
MNPCA36 samples · 2020–2025 - USGS Minnesota Water Science Center
USGS-MN3 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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