Elbow Lake
Elbow Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 408.33 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 408 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cook County
Elbow Lake is a 408-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, hybrid sunfish, and northern pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Elbow Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Murky, only visible to about 3.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Elbow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elbow Lake in Cook 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
Elbow Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elbow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 408 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elbow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elbow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 21.06 | 0.16 lb |
| CSH | 12.45 | — |
| Bluegill | 7.02 | 0.42 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.30 | 2.48 lb |
| Walleye | 3.27 | 1.34 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.68 | 1.47 lb |
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.
Yellow Perch
CSH
Bluegill
White Sucker
From the 2025-06-09 survey
Elbow Lake is a shallow, 408-acre lake located just off the Gunflint Trail, approximately 8 miles north of Grand Marais in Cook County, Minnesota. There is a small boat access with a concrete ramp and dock located on the eastern side of the lake. Most of Elbow Lake is shallow with weeds spread throughout and provides…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elbow Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElbowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElbowPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.39 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Elbow 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 MN16-0096-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Elbow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 3.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 408.33 acres.
Is Elbow Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Elbow Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 408.33 acres.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
- Fish species found in Elbow Lake include bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Elbow Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elbow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elbow Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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