Deer Lake
Deer Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 297.79 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 298 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 23
- Open water
- 213 days
Next lake in Beltrami County
Deer Lake is a 298-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Deer Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Deer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deer Lake in Beltrami 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
Deer Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 184 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Deer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Deer Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (524,807 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
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 | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 298 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Deer LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Deer Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| CNM | 50.37 | — |
| Bluegill | 28.84 | 0.16 lb |
| SUN | 24.79 | — |
| PGS | 12.49 | — |
| BKF | 12.25 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 10.01 | 0.1 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-08-13 survey
Minnesota DNR Fisheries IBI program staff conducted an assessment of lakeshore habitat on Deer Lake on August 13th, 2025, following the Score the Shore survey protocols. The assessment consisted of 29 survey sites evenly spaced 200 meters around the lake. Assessments were made in three habitat zones: Shoreline Zone…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Deer Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DeerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Deer (1760)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DeerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DeerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.111 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (21 observations).
Estimated open water season: 213 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2013-05-14 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2013-11-11 (2013) | 2004-11-30 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-06
EPA Impairment Status
Deer Lake 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 MN04-0230-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
What is the water quality grade for Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 297.79 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Deer Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 184 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 297.79 acres.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
- Fish species found in Deer Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Deer Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
When does Deer Lake thaw?
- Deer Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Does Deer Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Deer Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (524,807 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Deer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Deer Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Deer Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
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Where this data comes from
177 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
MNPCA177 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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