Esquagama Lake
Esquagama Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 90 ft. Surface area: 452.61 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 51°F
- Max depth
- 90 ft
- Area
- 453 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 29
- Open water
- 216 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Esquagama 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 Esquagama 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.
Esquagama Lake is a 453-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 90 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-11. 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 Esquagama Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Esquagama Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Esquagama 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Esquagama Lake
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Water Temperature
Esquagama Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 51°F) and coldest in May (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 138 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Esquagama Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 90 ft |
| Surface Area | 453 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 18% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Silver LakePublic
- Bass LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Esquagama Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 24.00 | 0.49 lb |
| CIS | 13.33 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.30 | 0.19 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.42 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 2.37 | 0.98 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.30 | 2.4 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
CIS
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
From the 2018-07-16 survey
Esquagama Lake is a 453 acre lake located five miles southeast of Gilbert. It is accessed by a ramp on the south side of the lake on land that is privately owned by the Eshquaguma Country Club. This Ecological Lake Class 5 lake has a maximum depth of 90 feet and dark brown water. On July 17, 2018 Esquagama Lake was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Esquagama Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EsquagamaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.23 m/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (23 observations).
Estimated open water season: 216 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-10 (2021) | 2022-05-09 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-23 (2007) | 2015-12-23 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-25
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Esquagama Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Esquagama Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Embarrass River; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 125 ft long.
- Surface area
- 453 ac
- Normal storage
- 16,570 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 17,768 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 159 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00099 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Esquagama 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 MN69-0565-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Esquagama Lake
Esquagama Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Esquagama Lake
What is the water quality grade for Esquagama Lake?
- Esquagama Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 90 ft. Surface area: 452.61 acres.
Is Esquagama Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Esquagama Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Esquagama Lake?
- Esquagama Lake typically sits around 51°F at the surface in August, from 138 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Esquagama Lake?
- Esquagama Lake has a maximum depth of 90 feet. The lake covers 452.61 acres.
What fish are in Esquagama Lake?
- Fish species found in Esquagama Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, cisco species, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Esquagama Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Esquagama Lake thaw?
- Esquagama Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 216 days.
Are there boat ramps on Esquagama Lake?
- Esquagama Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Silver Lake, Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
13 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA13 samples · 2022–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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