Dunbar Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota268 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Dunbar Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
Dunbar Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 267.72 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2011 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Dunbar Lake. DNR survey details →
Dunbar Lake is a 268-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Dunbar Lake ranks #57 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Dunbar Lake covers about 270 acres in Itasca County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Dunbar Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Dunbar Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water30 ft surveyed max depth
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 Dunbar 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 Dunbar Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Dunbar Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 35.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 14.3 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 35.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 14.3µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Dunbar Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Dunbar Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (65°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 46 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dunbar Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2011 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Dunbar Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dunbar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-08-22 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2011-08-22 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 16.62 | 6–7 in 2001-07-09 | 0.51 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.29 | 4–12 in 2011-08-22 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.81 | 12–20 in 2001-07-09 | 2.84 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.21 | 5–9 in 2011-08-22 | 0.64 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.56 | 3–12 in 2011-08-22 | 0.38 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2011-08-22 survey
Dunbar Lake is a class 34 lake located five miles west of Squaw Lake, MN. The Dunbar River exits the lake and flows into Round Lake. The lake has one earthen public access that is down a relatively steep hill on the west shore. The 2002 lake management plan indicates black crappie and bluegill as the primary species…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dunbar Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DunbarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Dunbar (0673)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DunbarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
30 ft
Surface area
268 acres
Shoreline
4.7 mi
Littoral zone
61%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
22 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,319 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Dunbar Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dunbar 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 Dunbar Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Dunbar Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dunbar Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2021). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-12.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.3 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Dunbar Lake
Where is Dunbar Lake?
- Dunbar 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 Dunbar Lake?
- Dunbar Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 267.72 acres.
Is Dunbar 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 Dunbar Lake?
- Dunbar Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 46 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dunbar Lake?
- Dunbar Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 267.72 acres.
What fish are in Dunbar Lake?
- Fish species found in Dunbar Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Dunbar Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Dunbar Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2011 caught 1.67 walleye per gill net at Dunbar Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Dunbar Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Dunbar Lake?
- Public access to Dunbar Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Dunbar 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 Itasca 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
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder