Gilbert Pit Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota243 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Gilbert Pit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 443 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Gilbert Pit Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 443 ft. Surface area: 243.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 26, 2023 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Gilbert Pit Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–21 inches. DNR survey details →
Gilbert Pit Lake is a 243-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 443 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bluegill, hybrid sunfish, and lake trout. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-06-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Gilbert Pit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water443 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Gilbert Pit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Gilbert Pit Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Gilbert Pit Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Gilbert Pit Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Gilbert Pit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 26, 2023 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Gilbert Pit Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–21 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Gilbert Pit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-26 (Targeted Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-26 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Bass | 4.58 | 3–8 in 2023-06-26 | 0.19 lb |
| Rainbow Trout | 3.48 | 0.76 lb | |
| White Sucker | 3.47 | 18 in 2014-06-09 | 0.93 lb |
| Walleye | 3.17 | 21 in 2023-06-26 | 2.47 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.43 | 5–7 in 2023-06-26 | 0.09 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Rock Bass
White Sucker
Walleye
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-06-26 survey
Gilbert Pit (Lake Ore-B-Gone) is a 243-acre mine pit located near Gilbert. The city of Gilbert owns and maintains a public park on the northwest side of the lake that includes a concrete boat ramp and parking for numerous vehicles. The lake has a maximum depth of 443 feet and extremely clear water. On June 26, 2023,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gilbert Pit Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Gilbert PitFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Gilbert PitFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Gilbert PitPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
443 ft
Surface area
243 acres
Shoreline
5.8 mi
Littoral zone
8%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,407 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Ore-B-GonePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Gilbert Pit Lake
- Sherwood Forest Campground0.3 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Gilbert Pit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gilbert Pit 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 Gilbert Pit Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Gilbert Pit Lake
- → Gilbert Pit Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Gilbert Pit Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Gilbert Pit Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Gilbert Pit Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Gilbert Pit Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-1306-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Gilbert Pit Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Gilbert WwtpGilbert · 0.7 mi away · NPDES MN0020125
- Laurentian Mining AreaVirginia · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0059633
- Mckinley WwtpMckinley · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MN0024031
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Gilbert Pit Lake
Where is Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 443 ft. Surface area: 243.41 acres.
Is Gilbert Pit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Gilbert Pit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake has a maximum depth of 443 feet. The lake covers 243.41 acres.
What fish are in Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Fish species found in Gilbert Pit Lake include bluegill, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, largemouth bass, northern pike, rainbow smelt, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch. Gilbert Pit Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 26, 2023 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Gilbert Pit Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 21–21 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Gilbert Pit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Ore-B-Gone. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Are there campgrounds on Gilbert Pit Lake?
- Gilbert Pit Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Sherwood Forest Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Gilbert Pit Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1 sample · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles