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LakeQuality

Greenwood Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #30 of 35 lakes in the county · 2.1 ft clear · Eutrophic · 1,329 acres
Limited DataEutrophic

Greenwood Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 1329.21 acres.

Clarity
2.1 ft
Typical in August
68°F
Max depth
7 ft
Area
1,329 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Public access
Yes

Next lake in Lake County

CSand Lake4.1 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Greenwood Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 5 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.

Greenwood Lake is a 1,329-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 7 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Greenwood Lake ranks #30 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Ely

Get alerts for Greenwood Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)2.1 ftNot graded
Phosphorus27.5 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)5.9 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)56Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Greenwood Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Greenwood 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 Greenwood Lake

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 →

Water Temperature

Greenwood Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
54°
Jun
65°
Jul
73°
Aug
68°
Sep
64°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 17 field readings (20112025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Greenwood Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth7 ft
Surface Area1,329 acres
Shoreline Length11 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
38 sq mi
Elevation
1,768 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Greenwood LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Greenwood Lake

EPA Impairment Status

Greenwood 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 MN38-0656-00 · Official waterbody report

County Ranking

Ranked #30 of 35 lakes in Lake County

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Greenwood Lake

What is the water quality grade for Greenwood Lake?

Greenwood Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 7 ft. Surface area: 1329.21 acres.

Is Greenwood Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Greenwood Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Greenwood Lake?

Greenwood Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 17 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Greenwood Lake?

Greenwood Lake has a maximum depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 1329.21 acres.

What fish are in Greenwood Lake?

Fish species found in Greenwood Lake include bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, sunfish, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Greenwood Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.

Are there boat ramps on Greenwood Lake?

Greenwood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Greenwood Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Where this data comes from

22 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA22 samples · 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