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LakeQuality

Indiana Lake

NR
Not yet rated
15.3 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 143 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

Indiana Lake in Lake 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: 31 ft. Surface area: 143.04 acres.

Clarity
15.3 ft
Max depth
31 ft
Area
143 acres
Trend
Improving
Public access
No

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NRGood Lake10 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Why Indiana 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 Indiana 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.

Indiana Lake is a 143-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, largemouth bass, and northern pike. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-06-20. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Ely

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Water quality measurements for Indiana 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.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)15.3 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Indiana Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Indiana Lake in Lake 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 Indiana 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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth31 ft
Surface Area143 acres
Shoreline Length2 mi
Littoral Zone27%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
14 sq mi
Elevation
1,302 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Indiana Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-06 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Largemouth Bass10.001.37 lb
Smallmouth Bass2.751.53 lb
Northern Pike1.755.44 lb
Bluegill1.250.06 lb
Rock Bass0.500.17 lb
Yellow Perch0.500.13 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.

Largemouth Bass

40 fish · 517 in · 2019-08-06
1260567891011121314151617

Smallmouth Bass

11 fish · 815 in · 2019-08-06
53089101112131415

Northern Pike

7 fish · 2239 in · 2019-08-06
210trophy 36222426283032343638

Bluegill

5 fish · 35 in · 2019-08-06
320345

From the 2019-08-06 survey

Indiana Lake is located approximately 14 miles NE of Ely within the BWCAW. Because of its proximity to Basswood Lake and nearby entry points, Indiana is a popular lake with wilderness enthusiasts. Indiana Lake also has a reputation for quality bass fishing with some larger pike as an additional component. There are…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Indiana Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.204 m/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Indiana Lake

What is the water quality grade for Indiana Lake?

Indiana Lake in Lake 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: 31 ft. Surface area: 143.04 acres.

Is Indiana Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Indiana Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Indiana Lake?

Indiana Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet. The lake covers 143.04 acres.

What fish are in Indiana Lake?

Fish species found in Indiana Lake include bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow perch. Indiana Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.

Where this data comes from

10 measurements from 5 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA10 samples · 2021–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (5)

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