Elk Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota303 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Elk Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 93 ft max depth
- Public access
Elk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 52.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Elk Lake. DNR survey details →
Elk Lake is a 303-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 93 feet (32-foot average). 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 1 public boat landing. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Elk Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water93 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Elk 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 Elk Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Elk Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.1 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Elk Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Elk Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (38°F) to its warmest (54°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 52.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Elk Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elk Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 36.34 | 14–50 in 2025-06-04 | 12.78 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.50 | 3–8 in 2025-06-04 | 0.14 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 15.47 | ||
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 14.76 | 11–14 in 2025-06-04 | 0.9 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
93 ft
Average depth
32 ft
Surface area
303 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
24%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
17 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,467 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elk LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Elk Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elk Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.21 µg/L/yr4 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.58 µg/L/yr4 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Mar 26, 2012 · Latest May 14, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 28
Earliest Nov 12, 2019 · Latest Dec 13, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Apr 9
2024
44 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN15-0010-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Elk Lake
Where is Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake is a lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake typically sits around 48°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Elk Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 52.44 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Elk Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elk Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elk Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Explore Elk Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate