Falk Lake
Falk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 73.24 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 73 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Clearwater County
Falk Lake is a 73-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Falk Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Falk Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Falk Lake in Clearwater 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
Falk Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 61°F) and coldest in Jun (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 341 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Falk Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Surface Area | 73 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 27% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Falk LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Falk Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 19.25 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.33 | 0.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.90 | 1.7 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.80 | 0.17 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.98 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.96 | 1.19 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2019-06-11 survey
Falk Lake is a 73-acre lake located six miles east of the town of Clearbrook in northern Clearwater County. There is a county-owned public water access with parking for several trucks/trailers located on the north shore of the lake off Township Road 82. Falk Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. Much of the shoreline…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Falk Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FalkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Falk (1713)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FalkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FalkPublic 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 | → Stable | +0.075 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.83 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 37 lakes in Clearwater County
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Falk Lake
What is the water quality grade for Falk Lake?
- Falk Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 73.24 acres.
Is Falk Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Falk Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Falk Lake?
- Falk Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, from 341 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Falk Lake?
- Falk Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake covers 73.24 acres.
What fish are in Falk Lake?
- Fish species found in Falk Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Falk Lake is located in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Falk Lake?
- Falk Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Falk Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Falk Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
85 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA85 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory