East Twin Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota123 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- spiny waterflea
- 22 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
East Twin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 123.21 acres.
East Twin Lake is a 123-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, East Twin Lake ranks #45 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What East Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. East Twin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Twin 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 East Twin Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Twin 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 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.9 µg/L. TSI 51.
| 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 | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8.9µg/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. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about East Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
22 ft
Surface area
123 acres
Shoreline
3.3 mi
Littoral zone
56%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,368 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near East Twin Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Twin 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
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 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0174-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about East Twin Lake
Where is East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 123.21 acres.
Is East Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. East Twin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is East Twin Lake?
- East Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 123.21 acres.
What fish are in East Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in East Twin Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. East Twin Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Can I fish at East Twin Lake?
- Public access to East Twin 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.
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Where this data comes from
11 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA11 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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