Grace Lake
Grace Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 859.82 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 860 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
- Open water
- 213 days
Next lake in Beltrami County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Grace Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Grace Lake is a 860-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet (17-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Grace Lake ranks #63 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.3 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Grace Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Grace 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Grace Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Grace Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 96 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Grace Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Grace Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (54,450 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Average Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 860 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Grace Lake (West)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Grace Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 43.13 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 40.38 | — |
| Bluegill | 23.34 | 0.25 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 20.80 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 20.34 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.25 | 1 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Grace Lake is a 860-acre, highly developed natural lake located in southern Beltrami County, approximately 8 miles southeast of Bemidji, MN. Grace has an average water clarity of 7 feet and a maximum depth of 42 feet. There is a DNR-owned public access northwest side of the lake, and a 4-acre Aquatic Management Area…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Grace Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GraceFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Grace (1256)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GraceFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GracePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.018 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.84 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (21 observations).
Estimated open water season: 213 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-19 (2024) | 2013-05-14 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-07 (2019) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-22
EPA Impairment Status
Grace 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 MN29-0071-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #63 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Grace 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.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Grace Lake
What is the water quality grade for Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 859.82 acres.
Is Grace Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Grace Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 9.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 96 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 859.82 acres.
What fish are in Grace Lake?
- Fish species found in Grace Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Grace Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
When does Grace Lake thaw?
- Grace Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Does Grace Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Grace Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (54,450 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Grace Lake (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Grace Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
183 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
MNPCA183 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate