Elbow Lake
Elbow Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 169.1 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.6 ft
- Typical in July
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 22 ft
- Area
- 169 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Elbow Lake →
Next lake in St. Louis County
Elbow Lake is a 169-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Elbow Lake ranks #68 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 3.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 52.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 52.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Elbow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elbow Lake in St. Louis 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Elbow Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Elbow Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Elbow Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 169 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 77% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elbow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-13 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 199.32 | 0.3 lb |
| Black Crappie | 11.74 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.32 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.61 | 3.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.98 | 0.25 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.26 | 3.4 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2016-06-13 survey
Elbow Lake is a 169 acre lake located southwest of the city of Virginia. It is accessed by an earthen ramp on the southwest side of the lake. It has a maximum depth of 22 feet and green colored water. On June 14, 2016 the surface temperature was 66 F and the bottom was 52 F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elbow (1764)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Elbow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0717-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #68 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Elbow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 3.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 52.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 169.1 acres.
Is Elbow Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Elbow Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 169.1 acres.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
- Fish species found in Elbow Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Elbow Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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