Fall Lake
Fall Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 2258.46 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.5 ft
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 2,258 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 28
Next lake in Lake County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Fall Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Fall Lake is a 2,258-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 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 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and burbot. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Fall Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. 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)
Murky, only visible to about 5.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fall Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fall 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 Fall Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Fall Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,258 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 30.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fall Lake (North)Public
- Fall Lake (Central)Public
- Cedar LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fall Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 9.43 | 0.64 lb |
| CIS | 8.08 | 0.55 lb |
| Walleye | 7.77 | 0.81 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.76 | 0.41 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.29 | 1.99 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.74 | 2.38 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
CIS
Walleye
Yellow Perch
From the 2022-08-22 survey
Fall Lake is located four miles northeast of Ely. There are three main public accesses, two of which have concrete ramps, the other is gravel. This 2,258 acre lake contains two substantial inlets. The Shagawa River comes in on the west end of the lake and the Kawishiwi River enters on the south side at the site of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fall Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FallFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fall (1895)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FallPublic 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 | -0.08 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (129 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-27 (2012) | 1950-05-19 (1950) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-05-02
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fall Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fall Lake (completed 1989), built primarily for recreation on the KAWISHIWI RIVER; rockfill-type dam, 12 ft tall and 260 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,173 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,173 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 17,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,353 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- USDA FS
All listed purposes: Recreation;Navigation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01157 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Fall 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 MN38-0811-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 35 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Fall Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fall Lake?
- Fall Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 2258.46 acres.
Is Fall Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Fall Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Fall Lake?
- Fall Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 2258.46 acres.
What fish are in Fall Lake?
- Fish species found in Fall Lake include black crappie, bluegill, burbot, cisco species, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Fall Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
When does Fall Lake thaw?
- Fall Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 28.
Are there boat ramps on Fall Lake?
- Fall Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fall Lake (North), Fall Lake (Central), Cedar Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Fall Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Compare Fall Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
204 measurements from 7 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
MNPCA204 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 (7)
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