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LakeQuality

Gabbro Lake

NR
Not yet rated
4.3 ft clear · Eutrophic · 977 acres
Limited DataEutrophic

Gabbro Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 976.77 acres.

Clarity
4.3 ft
Max depth
50 ft
Area
977 acres
Public access
No

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AAugust Lake4.7 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Why Gabbro 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 Gabbro 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.

Gabbro Lake is a 977-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, northern pike, and rock bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-06-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

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Water quality measurements for Gabbro Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Murky, only visible to about 4.3 ft. Trophic State Index: 56.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)4.3 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)56Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Gabbro Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gabbro Lake in Lake 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 Gabbro Lake

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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth50 ft
Surface Area977 acres
Shoreline Length23.7 mi
Littoral Zone47%
Public AccessNo

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Gabbro Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-29 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Tullibee (Cisco)12.000.42 lb
Walleye7.000.81 lb
Yellow Perch3.920.24 lb
White Sucker3.131.42 lb
Northern Pike2.293.66 lb
Rock Bass1.620.4 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.

Tullibee (Cisco)

98 fish · 814 in · 2016-09-12
39200891011121314

Walleye

58 fish · 719 in · 2016-09-12
168078910111213141516171819

Yellow Perch

38 fish · 510 in · 2016-09-12
15805678910

White Sucker

18 fish · 618 in · 2016-09-12
7406789101112131415161718

From the 2025-07-29 survey

Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Gabbro Lake on July 29th, 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.…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gabbro Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

EPA Impairment Status

Gabbro Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0701-00 · Official waterbody report

Graded lakes near Gabbro Lake

Gabbro Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Gabbro Lake

What is the water quality grade for Gabbro Lake?

Gabbro Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 976.77 acres.

Is Gabbro Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Gabbro 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 Gabbro Lake?

Gabbro Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 976.77 acres.

What fish are in Gabbro Lake?

Fish species found in Gabbro Lake include black crappie, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Gabbro Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.

Where this data comes from

1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA1 sample · 2021

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