Fourteen Lake
Fourteen Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14.5 ft. Surface area: 386.11 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 14.5 ft
- Area
- 386 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Fourteen 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 Fourteen Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. 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.
Fourteen Lake is a 386-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-25. 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 Fourteen Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fourteen Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fourteen 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 Fourteen Lake
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fourteen Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (139,316 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 386 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fourteen Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-06-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.67 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 9.68 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.27 | 2.33 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.86 | 1.38 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.35 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.85 | 0.37 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.
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
Brown Bullhead
From the 2010-06-14 survey
Lake Fourteen is located in St. Louis County near the town of Buhl. The lake has a surface area of 376 acres and a maximum depth of 15 feet (100% littoral). Due to the shallow nature of the lake, aquatic vegetation growth is extensive. Surveys dating back to 1955 mention the abundant vegetation. Northern pike, black…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fourteen Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FourteenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FourteenFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.237 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Fourteen 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 MN69-0793-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Fourteen Lake
Fourteen Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Fourteen Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fourteen Lake?
- Fourteen Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 14.5 ft. Surface area: 386.11 acres.
Is Fourteen Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fourteen 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 Fourteen Lake?
- Fourteen Lake has a maximum depth of 14.5 feet. The lake covers 386.11 acres.
What fish are in Fourteen Lake?
- Fish species found in Fourteen Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Fourteen Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Does Fourteen Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fourteen Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (139,316 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Fourteen Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
91 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA91 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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