Deer Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota298 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Deer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Deer Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2024 caught 265.21 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Deer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–8 inches. DNR survey details →
Deer Lake is a 298-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Deer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
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. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Deer 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 Deer Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Deer Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.3 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.3µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Deer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Deer Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (69°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2024 caught 265.21 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Deer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–8 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Deer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-13 (Targeted Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-13 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 28.84 | 2–8 in 2024-06-03 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.01 | 5–9 in 2021-07-12 | 0.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
298 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
40%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,358 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Deer LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Deer Lake
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Follow Deer Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Deer Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.07 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.15 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 14, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 11, 2013 · Latest Nov 30, 2004
Most recent ice-out
May 6
2022
21 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0230-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake
Where is Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake is a lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Deer Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 3, 2024 caught 265.21 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Deer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–8 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Deer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Deer Lake?
- Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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.
Explore Deer Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Deer Lake
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
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)
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
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