Dead Lake
Dead Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 130.64 acres.
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 131 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Dead Lake is a 131-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Dead Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-19. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Dead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dead Lake in Hubbard 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.
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Water Temperature
Dead Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 77°F) and coldest in Jun (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 131 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Crooked LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dead Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 20.69 | 0.3 lb |
| Bluegill | 19.49 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 18.64 | 0.12 lb |
| CNM | 15.30 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.72 | 0.89 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.16 | — |
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.
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2017-07-10 survey
Dead Lake is located in south-central Hubbard County, five miles north of Dorset. Dead has a surface area of 130 acres and a maximum depth of 34.0 feet. There is no public access on Dead. Dead is connected to Ojibway Lake, which lies to the south, by a small channel. Boating between the two lakes is dependent upon…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dead Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DeadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.002 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2025-04-20 (2025) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2023-11-28 (2023) | 2021-12-07 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-20
EPA Impairment Status
Dead Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4C).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0101-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.18 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Dead Lake
What is the water quality grade for Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 130.64 acres.
Is Dead Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Dead Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 130.64 acres.
What fish are in Dead Lake?
- Fish species found in Dead Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Dead Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Dead Lake thaw?
- Dead Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Are there boat ramps on Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Crooked Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Dead Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
51 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA51 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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