Fox Lake
Fox Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 262.49 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.8 ft
- Max depth
- 75 ft
- Area
- 262 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Fox 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 Fox Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Fox Lake is a 262-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 75 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 2020-09-19. 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 Fox Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.8 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fox Lake in Itasca 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 Fox Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 75 ft |
| Surface Area | 262 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 74% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Fox Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1987-07-27 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 14.80 | 0.41 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.83 | 0.1 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.09 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.44 | 2.35 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.77 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 0.92 | 0.17 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1987-07-27 survey
NORTHERN CISCO, NORTHERN PIKE, AND PUMPKINSEED POPULATIONS ARE ABOVE MEDIANS BUT NORTHERN PIKE POPULATIONS HAVE GONE DOWN FROM THE 1974 AND 1980 SAMPLING. WHITE SUCKER AND YELLOW PERCH POPULATIONS ARE BELOW MEDIANS AND THE PERCH POPU- LATION HAS GONE DOWN FROM 1974. ALL OTHER POPULA- TIONS APPEAR TO BE NORMAL AND HAVE…
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 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.258 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Fox 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 MN31-0540-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.72 km)
Graded lakes near Fox Lake
Fox Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 75 ft. Surface area: 262.49 acres.
Is Fox Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Fox 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 Fox Lake?
- Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 75 feet. The lake covers 262.49 acres.
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA2 samples · 2020
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