Crow Wing County, Minnesota · Water Quality Report Card
Cross Lake Reservoir
Cross Lake Reservoir in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 16.5 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Cross Lake Reservoir is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Cross Lake Reservoir ranks #43 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.5 ft | |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Cross Lake Reservoir
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Fishing Cross Lake Reservoir
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: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.213 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.61 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #43 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Explore Cross Lake Reservoir across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Cross Lake Reservoir
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Cross Lake Reservoir 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 MN18-0312-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.81 km)
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Where this data comes from
211 measurements from 6 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
MNPCA211 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 (6)
Grade thresholds come from the U.S. EPA National Lakes Assessment 2022 Technical Support Document (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion
Most recent sample: 2025-09-26
Monitoring stations: 6