Gould Lake
Gould Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Mean depth
- ~9 ft est.
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cass County
Gould Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 9 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2022. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Gould Lake ranks #93 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-10-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Gould Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Gould Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gould Lake in Cass 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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Water Temperature
Gould Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 57 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gould Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~9 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Gould Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Gould Lake
County Ranking
Ranked #93 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Gould Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Gould Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gould Lake?
- Gould Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L.
Is Gould Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Gould Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Gould Lake?
- Gould Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 57 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gould Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Gould Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 9 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Gould Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX44 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder