Fairy Lake
Fairy Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 108.51 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 109 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Fairy 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 Fairy Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Fairy Lake is a 109-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-07-02. 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 Fairy Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fairy Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fairy 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 Fairy Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 109 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Fairy Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1973-08-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 6.00 | 1.55 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.25 | 0.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.00 | 1.7 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.25 | 2.67 lb |
| Rock Bass | 1.50 | 0.35 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.25 | 0.4 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1973-08-25 survey
The Gamefish present are walleye & northern pike. Walleye are fairly abundant and of good size. Younger age walleye seem to be lacking. Northern pike are present in good numbers, but are small. The sucker population is relatively low and the perch population is relatively high for this area, in this type of lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fairy Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FairyFisheries 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 | -0.062 m/yr | 3 |
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Fairy Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 108.51 acres.
Is Fairy Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fairy 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 Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 108.51 acres.
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA3 samples · 2021–2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder