Hanks Lake
Hanks Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 164.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 165 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Hanks Lake is a 165-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Hanks Lake ranks #61 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 onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Hanks Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hanks Lake in Crow Wing 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
Hanks Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hanks Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 165 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 30% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hanks 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: 2023-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 40.51 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 30.97 | 1.02 lb |
| Bluegill | 29.29 | 0.16 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 25.45 | 0.66 lb |
| JND | 14.68 | — |
| BCS | 10.50 | — |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2023-07-10 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Hanks Lake was conducted on July 10-11, 2023, 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 seine. Nearshore sampling captured nineteen…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hanks Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HanksFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HanksFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.239 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.56 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Hanks Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0044-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #61 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Hanks Lake
What is the water quality grade for Hanks Lake?
- Hanks Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 164.72 acres.
Is Hanks Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Hanks Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Hanks Lake?
- Hanks Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hanks Lake?
- Hanks Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 164.72 acres.
What fish are in Hanks Lake?
- Fish species found in Hanks Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hanks Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
97 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA97 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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