Ensign Lake
Ensign Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1411.07 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 1,411 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Why Ensign Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Ensign Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Ensign Lake is a 1,411-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bluegill, cisco species, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Ensign Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Ensign Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ensign Lake in Lake 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 Ensign Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,411 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 27.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| 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 Ensign Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 25.63 | 0.76 lb |
| Walleye | 10.19 | 1.11 lb |
| CIS | 8.25 | 1.27 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.14 | 2.02 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.34 | 3.49 lb |
| Rock Bass | 1.00 | 0.19 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
CIS
White Sucker
From the 2023-09-11 survey
Ensign is a 1,408-acre lake located 23 miles northeast of Ely in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is a relatively productive walleye lake, comparable to Shagawa, Moose, and Disappointment in the Tower area. Ensign was thermally stratified on 09/11/2023. Surface temperature was 66.5 F, bottom temperature…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ensign Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EnsignFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.01 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Ensign Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0498-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Ensign Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ensign Lake?
- Ensign Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 1411.07 acres.
Is Ensign Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Ensign Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Ensign Lake?
- Ensign Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 1411.07 acres.
What fish are in Ensign Lake?
- Fish species found in Ensign Lake include bluegill, cisco species, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Ensign Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
Explore Ensign Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
72 measurements from 22 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA72 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (22)
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-207
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-100
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-231
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-212
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-209
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-203
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-221
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-228
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-213
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-218
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-208
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-206
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-205
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-222
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-201
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-211
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-227
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-202
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-219
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-230
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-204
- MNPCA-38-0498-00-214
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