Gull Lake
Gull Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 2255.64 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 2,256 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Beltrami County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Gull Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 25 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Gull Lake is a 2,256-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet (10-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, Gull Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Gull Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gull 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.
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Water Temperature
Gull Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gull Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Gull Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (25,119 cells/mL) on May 16, 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 | 23 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,256 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 12.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 83% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Gull LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Gull Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-12 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 21.54 | 0.14 lb |
| CNM | 13.64 | — |
| Bluegill | 10.76 | 0.39 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.68 | 1.65 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.05 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.75 | 1.34 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
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2021-07-12 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Gull Lake was conducted on July 12-14, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gull Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GullFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gull (1731)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — GullFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GullPublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.083 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.57 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Gull 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 MN04-0120-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #65 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Gull 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 Gull Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gull Lake?
- Gull Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 2255.64 acres.
Is Gull Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Gull Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Gull Lake?
- Gull Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gull Lake?
- Gull Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 2255.64 acres.
What fish are in Gull Lake?
- Fish species found in Gull 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. Gull Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
Does Gull Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Gull Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (25,119 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Gull Lake?
- Gull Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Gull Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
91 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA91 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 (3)
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