Hatch Lake
Hatch Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 226.35 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 88 ft
- Area
- 226 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Hatch 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 Hatch 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.
Hatch Lake is a 226-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 88 feet (45-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-27. 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 Hatch Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15.3 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Hatch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hatch Lake in Itasca 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 Hatch Lake
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Water Temperature
Hatch Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hatch Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 88 ft |
| Average Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 226 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 22% |
| 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 Hatch Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-07-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 28.38 | 0.58 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 13.79 | 1.51 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.45 | 0.44 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.73 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.90 | 1.92 lb |
| Rock Bass | 1.80 | 0.24 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Smallmouth Bass
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2013-07-22 survey
Hatch Lake is a 243-acre lake located 5 miles northwest of Marcell, MN in the Big Fork River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 88 feet and 49 littoral acres. Hatch Lake is in Ecological Lake Class 23. These are relatively deep, medium-sized lakes with clear water. Other area lakes in Class 23 include Big Too…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hatch Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HatchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hatch (0704)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.091 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.35 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.16 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Hatch 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 MN31-0726-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.16 km)
Graded lakes near Hatch Lake
Hatch Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Hatch Lake
What is the water quality grade for Hatch Lake?
- Hatch Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 226.35 acres.
Is Hatch Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Hatch 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 Hatch Lake?
- Hatch Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hatch Lake?
- Hatch Lake has a maximum depth of 88 feet and an average depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 226.35 acres.
What fish are in Hatch Lake?
- Fish species found in Hatch Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hatch Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Explore Hatch Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
55 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
MNPCA55 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