Gust Lake
Gust Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Surface area: 143.05 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 64°F
- Area
- 143 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cook County
Why Gust Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Gust Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Gust Lake is a 143-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including northern pike, smallmouth bass, and walleye. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Gust Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Gust Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gust Lake in Cook 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 Gust Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Gust Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 64°F) and coldest in Sep (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Gust Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 143 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
The available depth estimate for Gust Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cascade LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Gust Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-09-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 11.68 | 0.27 lb |
| Walleye | 5.75 | 1.21 lb |
| BNS | 3.50 | — |
| White Sucker | 3.46 | 2.01 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.31 | 0.95 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.85 | 1.44 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
Walleye
White Sucker
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2016-09-06 survey
Gust is a small, shallow lake with a few cabins on its shore, and limited public access. It has not been subject to much active fisheries management. Sometime between 1996 and 2006 Smallmouth Bass found their way (or were introduced) into the lake; by 2006, when they first appeared in a lake survey, their numbers…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gust Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GustFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gust (1561)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.123 m/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Gust 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 MN16-0380-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Gust Lake
Gust Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Gust Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gust Lake?
- Gust Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Surface area: 143.05 acres.
Is Gust Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Gust Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Gust Lake?
- Gust Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Gust Lake?
- The available depth estimate for Gust Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown. The lake covers 143.05 acres.
What fish are in Gust Lake?
- Fish species found in Gust Lake include northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Gust Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Gust Lake?
- Gust Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cascade Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Gust Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
6 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA6 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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