Elk Lake
Elk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 93 ft. Surface area: 303.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Typical in August
- 54°F
- Max depth
- 93 ft
- Area
- 303 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Clearwater County
Elk Lake is a 303-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 93 feet (32-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Elk Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Elk Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elk Lake in Clearwater 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
Elk Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 52°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 54°F) and coldest in Mar (about 38°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 1,808 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elk Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Elk Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (41,305 cells/mL) on November 8, 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 |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 93 ft |
| Average Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 303 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 24% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mary LakePublic
- Elk LakePublic
- Douglas LodgePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elk Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 128.68 | — |
| Muskellunge | 36.34 | 12.78 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.50 | 0.14 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 15.47 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 14.76 | 0.9 lb |
| BNS | 12.10 | — |
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.
Muskellunge
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2025-07-21 survey
Elk Lake is a 303-acre lake, located within Itasca State Park about 30 miles southwest of Bemidji, MN. A targeted survey was completed on Elk Lake by Bemidji Area Fisheries staff during July of 2025 to assess the nearshore fish community and overall health of the lake. In this survey, 10 nearshore sites (100-foot)…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elk Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elk (1375)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ElkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElkPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.201 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.21 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.58 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (44 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-26 (2012) | 2013-05-14 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-12 (2019) | 2016-12-13 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-09
EPA Impairment Status
Elk 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 MN15-0010-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 37 lakes in Clearwater County
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Elk Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 93 ft. Surface area: 303.43 acres.
Is Elk Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Elk Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in August, from 1,808 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has a maximum depth of 93 feet and an average depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 303.43 acres.
What fish are in Elk Lake?
- Fish species found in Elk Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Elk Lake is located in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
When does Elk Lake thaw?
- Elk Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Does Elk Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Elk Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (41,305 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mary Lake, Elk Lake, Douglas Lodge. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Elk Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
119 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA119 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate