Cross Lake Reservoir
Crow Wing County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cross Lake Reservoir. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- Public access
Ask about Cross Lake Reservoir
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Cross Lake Reservoir in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cross Lake Reservoir
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cross Lake Reservoir 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 Cross Lake Reservoir
Prices for Sep 18–20, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Cross Lake Reservoir’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Cross Lake Reservoir is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. 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: LakeQuality methodology.
What Cross Lake Reservoir is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Cross Lake Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cross Lake Reservoir 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 Cross Lake Reservoir
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cross Lake Reservoir, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.5 ft down. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.2 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Metric | Value | EPA condition class |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.5 ft | Measured, not scored |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Recreation & Access
- Cross Lake #2Public
- Cross Lake #1Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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 |
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)
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Cross Lake Reservoir
Where is Cross Lake Reservoir?
- Cross Lake Reservoir 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 Cross Lake Reservoir?
- Cross Lake Reservoir in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L.
Is Cross Lake Reservoir safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Cross Lake Reservoir is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Cross Lake Reservoir?
- Cross Lake Reservoir has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cross Lake #2, Cross Lake #1. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Cross Lake Reservoir across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Cross Lake Reservoir
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory