Howard Lake
Howard Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 385.58 acres.
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 386 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
- Open water
- 224 days
Next lake in Cass County
Howard Lake is a 386-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 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 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Howard Lake ranks #34 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-07. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Howard Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Howard 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.
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Water Temperature
Howard Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°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 62 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Howard Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 386 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 26% |
| 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 Howard Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-07-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 24.76 | 0.13 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 17.49 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.57 | 0.37 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.42 | 0.22 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.56 | 2.61 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.25 | 0.14 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)
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2001-07-09 survey
Howard Lake is a 365-acre lake with a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake is located seven miles northeast of Akeley, Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Howard Lake is in lake class 25.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Howard Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HowardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — HowardFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.16 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-12 (2005) | 2004-04-19 (2004) |
| Ice-In | 2004-11-28 (2004) | 2003-12-06 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2005-04-12
County Ranking
Ranked #34 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Howard Lake
What is the water quality grade for Howard Lake?
- Howard Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 385.58 acres.
Is Howard Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Howard Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Howard Lake?
- Howard Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Howard Lake?
- Howard Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 385.58 acres.
What fish are in Howard Lake?
- Fish species found in Howard Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Howard Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Howard Lake thaw?
- Howard Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
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Where this data comes from
77 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA77 samples · 2023–2025
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate