Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Surface area: 358 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Mean depth
- ~18 ft est.
- Area
- 358 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Eagle Lake is a 358-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 18 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Eagle Lake ranks #69 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Eagle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Eagle Lake in Crow Wing 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
Eagle Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 68 field readings (2022–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Eagle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (205,116 cells/mL) on November 22, 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 |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~18 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 358 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Eagle Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Eagle LakePublic
Fishing Eagle 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.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle 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 — Eagle (Main Bay)Public 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 | → Stable | -0.029 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Eagle Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Eagle Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Daggett Brook; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 53 ft long.
- Surface area
- 358 ac
- Normal storage
- 5,909 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,842 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 123 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00048 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Eagle 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 MN18-0293-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.93 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #69 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Eagle Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Eagle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.5 µg/L. Surface area: 358 acres.
Is Eagle Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Eagle Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 68 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Eagle Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Eagle Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 18 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 358 acres.
Does Eagle Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (205,116 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Eagle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Eagle Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
302 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA302 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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