Fox Lake
Fox Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 164.79 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.2 ft
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 165 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
- Open water
- 212 days
Next lake in Beltrami County
Fox Lake is a 165-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Fox Lake ranks #33 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 11.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Lake in Beltrami 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 165 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 80% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Fox Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1985-07-11 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 13.38 | 0.2 lb |
| Bluegill | 11.63 | 0.31 lb |
| White Sucker | 8.50 | 1.84 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.75 | 1.52 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.50 | 0.28 lb |
| Walleye | 3.13 | 3.4 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1985-07-11 survey
THE FISH POPULATION IS TYPICAL OF CENTRARCHID LAKES EXCEPT THAT WALLEYE AND TULLIBEE ARE PRESENT NORTHERN PIKE, WHITE SUCKER, ROCK BASS, YELLOW PERCH, WALLEYE BOWFIN, PUMPKINSEED, BLUEGILL AND AND LARGEMOUTH BASS ARE ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MED- IANS AND BLACK CRAPPIE ARE ABOVE LOCAL MEDIANS.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fox Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.049 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.14 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 212 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-11 (2005) | 2019-04-24 (2019) |
| Ice-In | 2004-11-08 (2004) | 2007-11-23 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2019-04-24
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Fox Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Fox Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the Turtle River-TR; other-type dam, 15 ft tall and 50 ft long.
- Surface area
- 148 ac
- Normal storage
- 963 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,284 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 64.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Undetermined
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00014 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Fox 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 MN04-0159-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.03 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #33 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 164.79 acres.
Is Fox Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Fox Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 164.79 acres.
When does Fox Lake thaw?
- Fox Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Explore Fox Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
83 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
MNPCA83 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate