Elk Lake
Elk Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 100 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 50.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 356.89 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 357 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 229 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Elk Lake →
Next lake in Sherburne County
Elk Lake is a 357-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet (5-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sherburne County, Elk Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-10-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Elk Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 100 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 50.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 69.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 100 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 50.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 69 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Elk Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elk Lake in Sherburne 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 Elk Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Elk Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Elk Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
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 very high (1,976,970 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
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 | 9 ft |
| Average Depth | 5.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 357 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elk LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elk 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-07-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 39.25 | 1.09 lb |
| JND | 27.43 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 27.40 | — |
| IOD | 18.76 | — |
| LGP | 13.49 | — |
| Walleye | 12.82 | 1.96 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.
Largemouth Bass
Spottail Shiner
LGP
Walleye
From the 2019-07-29 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Elk Lake was conducted on July 29th, 2019 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine. Nearshore sampling captured 26 species…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elk Lake. 3 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
- —Fish Stocking History — ElkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElkPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (34 observations).
Estimated open water season: 229 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-03-29 (2017) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 1996-11-02 (1996) | 2001-12-28 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-15
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 MN71-0141-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 18 lakes in Sherburne County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Elk Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Elk Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 100 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 50.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 356.89 acres.
Is Elk 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. Elk Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 50.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elk Lake?
- Elk Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet and an average depth of 5.4 feet. The lake covers 356.89 acres.
What fish are in Elk Lake?
- Fish species found in Elk Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Elk Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
When does Elk Lake thaw?
- Elk Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 229 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 very high (1,976,970 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.
Explore Elk Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Sherburne County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Elk Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
34 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
MNPCA34 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 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