East Twin Lake
East Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 163.33 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 163 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 225 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
East Twin Lake is a 163-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, East Twin Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-08-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch East Twin Lake water quality
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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 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near East Twin Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 163 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- East Twin LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Twin Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-25 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.22 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 18.01 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 7.94 | 0.6 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.92 | 0.94 lb |
| BNS | 7.00 | — |
| MMS | 6.75 | — |
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 Bass
Largemouth Bass
From the 2017-07-25 survey
East Twin Lake is a 146 acre lake located two miles northwest of Nisswa in Crow Wing County. East Twin is located in the Crow Wing River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 45'. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Twin Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — East Twin (0025)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.329 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.43 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (36 observations).
Estimated open water season: 225 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-27 (2000) | 2022-05-04 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 1993-11-10 (1993) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-28
EPA Impairment Status
East Twin 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 MN18-0407-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about East Twin Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 163.33 acres.
Is East Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. East Twin Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 163.33 acres.
What fish are in East Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in East Twin Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Twin Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does East Twin Lake thaw?
- East Twin Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include East Twin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA24 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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