Cut Foot Sioux Lake
Itasca County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Cut Foot Sioux Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- Public access
Cut Foot Sioux Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L.
Cut Foot Sioux Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Cut Foot Sioux Lake ranks #60 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Cut Foot Sioux Lake has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Cut Foot Sioux Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Cut Foot Sioux Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Cut Foot Sioux 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 Cut Foot Sioux Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Cut Foot Sioux Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.2 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 26.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.2µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Cut Foot Sioux Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Cut Foot Sioux Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 382 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cut Foot Sioux Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Cut Foot Sioux Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Public Water Access Sites — Cut Foot Sioux(Main Bay)Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Recreation & Access
- Williams NarrowsPublic
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake #2Public
- Williams Narrows ResortSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Cut Foot Sioux Lake
- Williams Narrows1.6 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Cut Foot Sioux Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cut Foot Sioux Lake in Itasca 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 Cut Foot Sioux Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fishing Cut Foot Sioux 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-7.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-4.3 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Cut Foot Sioux Lake
Where is Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L.
Is Cut Foot Sioux Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 382 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Williams Narrows, Cut Foot Sioux Lake #2, Williams Narrows Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake has 3 documented boat landings 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.
Are there campgrounds on Cut Foot Sioux Lake?
- Cut Foot Sioux Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Williams Narrows. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Cut Foot Sioux Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
106 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX92 samples · 2024–2025 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA14 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles