Esquagamah Lake
Esquagamah Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 842.04 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 31 ft
- Area
- 842 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Esquagamah Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Esquagamah 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 Esquagamah 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.
Esquagamah Lake is a 842-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet (13-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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 Esquagamah Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Esquagamah Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Esquagamah Lake in Aitkin 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
Esquagamah Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 54 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Esquagamah Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 31 ft |
| Average Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 842 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Esquagamah LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Esquagamah Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 21.61 | 0.23 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.14 | 0.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.85 | 0.25 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.10 | 1.45 lb |
| JND | 7.74 | — |
| Walleye | 4.79 | 1.38 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.
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-29 survey
Esquagamah Lake is located 10 miles west of Palisade and is a popular destination for many anglers in western Aitkin County. There is a state-owned public access with concrete log ramp located just off of Aitkin County Road 3. The lake supports a wide variety of habitats that are conducive to several species of game…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Esquagamah Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EsquagamahFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Esquagamah (0095)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EsquagamahFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EsquagamahPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.074 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (54 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-15 (2024) | 1996-05-06 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-10 (2017) | 2015-11-29 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-13
EPA Impairment Status
Esquagamah 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 MN01-0147-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Esquagamah Lake
Esquagamah Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Esquagamah Lake
What is the water quality grade for Esquagamah Lake?
- Esquagamah Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 842.04 acres.
Is Esquagamah Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Esquagamah 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 Esquagamah Lake?
- Esquagamah Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 54 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Esquagamah Lake?
- Esquagamah Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 842.04 acres.
What fish are in Esquagamah Lake?
- Fish species found in Esquagamah Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Esquagamah Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Esquagamah Lake thaw?
- Esquagamah Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Esquagamah Lake?
- Esquagamah Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Esquagamah Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
120 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA120 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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