Hand Lake
Hand Lake in Cass County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 289.21 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 289 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Why Hand 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 Hand 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.
Hand Lake is a 289-acre lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Hand Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Hand Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Hand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hand Lake in Cass 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 Hand 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
Hand Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Aug (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Hand Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (164,437 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
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 | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 289 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ada LakePublic
- Hand LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hand 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 25.79 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 17.24 | — |
| BNS | 6.79 | — |
| CNM | 5.82 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 4.94 | 1.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.69 | 1.5 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.
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
Northern Pike
From the 2022-08-22 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Hand Lake was conducted on August 22, 2022, by DNR 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 Hand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HandPublic 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 | +0.168 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Hand 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 MN11-0250-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.98 km)
Graded lakes near Hand Lake
Hand Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Hand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Hand Lake?
- Hand Lake in Cass County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 289.21 acres.
Is Hand Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Hand 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 Hand Lake?
- Hand Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hand Lake?
- Hand Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 289.21 acres.
What fish are in Hand Lake?
- Fish species found in Hand Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hand Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Does Hand Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Hand Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (164,437 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Hand Lake?
- Hand Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ada Lake, Hand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Hand Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
75 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
MNPCA75 samples · 2020–2025
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