Grace Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota860 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Grace Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
Grace Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Grace Lake. DNR survey details →
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). 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. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Grace Lake covers about 860 acres in Beltrami County. The median ice-out date is April 27, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Grace Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Grace Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water15 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 27
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Grace Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Grace 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 Grace Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Grace Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus 21.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.3 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 15ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.3µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Grace Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Grace Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (75°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Grace Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Grace Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 43.13 | 4–10 in 2025-07-28 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 40.38 | ||
| Bluegill | 23.34 | 3–9 in 2025-07-28 | 0.25 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 20.80 | ||
| Pumpkinseed | 20.34 | 3–8 in 2025-07-28 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.25 | 5–20 in 2025-07-28 | 1 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Average depth
17 ft
Surface area
860 acres
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Littoral zone
40%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
9 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,319 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Grace Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Grace Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.84 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 27
Earliest Mar 19, 2024 · Latest May 14, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 26
Earliest Nov 7, 2019 · Latest Nov 30, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 22
2025
21 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0071-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Grace Lake
Where is Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake is a lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Grace Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Grace Lake?
- Grace Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Grace Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 28, 2025 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Grace Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Grace Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Grace Lake?
- Public access to Grace Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
Explore Grace 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 Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Grace Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Grace Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate