Finger Lake
Finger Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 271.84 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 272 acres
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Finger 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 Finger Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, 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.
Finger Lake is a 272-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet. 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 2022-08-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Finger Lake water quality
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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 Finger Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.9 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Finger Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Finger 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 Finger Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 272 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Finger Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 30.20 | 0.27 lb |
| Walleye | 4.80 | 1.75 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.80 | 3.56 lb |
| Rock Bass | 0.80 | 0.19 lb |
| Shorthead Redhorse | 0.20 | 4 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.20 | 4.5 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 2025-07-30 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Finger Lake on July 30th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Finger Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FingerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Finger 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 MN69-0224-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.02 km)
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Finger Lake
What is the water quality grade for Finger Lake?
- Finger Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 271.84 acres.
Is Finger Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Finger Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Finger Lake?
- Finger Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 271.84 acres.
Explore Finger Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder