Farm Island Lake
Farm Island Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 2005.19 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 56 ft
- Area
- 2,005 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 226 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Farm Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Farm Island Lake is a 2,005-acre mesotrophic lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 56 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Aitkin County, Farm Island Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-19. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 11.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Farm Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Farm Island 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
Farm Island Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Apr (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 43 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Farm Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 56 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,005 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Farm Island NorthPublic
- Farm Island LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Farm Island 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
34 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-10-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 33.32 | — |
| Walleye | 19.13 | 1.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.34 | 0.13 lb |
| SDS | 12.00 | — |
| Bluegill | 11.08 | 0.18 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.75 | — |
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.
Bluntnose Minnow
Walleye
Yellow Perch
SDS
From the 2025-10-07 survey
Fall night electrofishing (EW) is conducted annually to assess Walleye recruitment by monitoring the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) and yearling (age-1) Walleye. Previous fry stocking assessments have occurred on Farm Island Lake (2010-2016) via fall night electrofishing. In these assessments, it was concluded…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Farm Island Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Farm IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Farm Island (0013)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Farm IslandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Farm IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.323 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (105 observations).
Estimated open water season: 226 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-14 (2024) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-17 (2014) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-12
EPA Impairment Status
Farm Island Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0159-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 18 lakes in Aitkin County
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Farm Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Farm Island Lake?
- Farm Island Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 56 ft. Surface area: 2005.19 acres.
Is Farm Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Farm Island Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Farm Island Lake?
- Farm Island Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 43 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Farm Island Lake?
- Farm Island Lake has a maximum depth of 56 feet. The lake covers 2005.19 acres.
What fish are in Farm Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Farm Island Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Farm Island Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Farm Island Lake thaw?
- Farm Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Are there boat ramps on Farm Island Lake?
- Farm Island Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Farm Island North, Farm Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Farm Island Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
77 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
MNPCA77 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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