Helen Lake
Helen Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 157.79 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 64°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 158 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Helen Lake is a 158-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (15-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Helen Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Helen Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Helen 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.
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Water Temperature
Helen Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Helen Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Average Depth | 15 ft |
| Surface Area | 158 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tank LakePublic
- Beauty LakePublic
- Coon LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Helen Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-08-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 9.67 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.94 | 1.83 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 6.15 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 5.06 | 0.06 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.49 | 0.23 lb |
| JND | 2.84 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2011-08-22 survey
Helen (Tank) Lake is located in eastern Itasca County near Goodland, MN in the St. Louis River watershed. The lake is representative of ecological lake class 32. Helen Lake has a surface area of 158 acres and a littoral area of 86 acres. The maximum depth is 32 feet and the lake has 3.8 miles of shoreline. The Sechhi…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Helen Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HelenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Helen (0576)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HelenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.61 m/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Helen 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 MN31-0028-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.56 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Helen Lake
What is the water quality grade for Helen Lake?
- Helen Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 157.79 acres.
Is Helen Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Helen Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Helen Lake?
- Helen Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in August, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Helen Lake?
- Helen Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 157.79 acres.
What fish are in Helen Lake?
- Fish species found in Helen Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Helen Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Helen Lake?
- Helen Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tank Lake, Beauty Lake, Coon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Helen Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
22 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA22 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory