Inguadona Lake
Inguadona Lake in Cass County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 79 ft. Surface area: 1132.92 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 79 ft
- Area
- 1,133 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
- Open water
- 224 days
Next lake in Cass County
Why Inguadona 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 Inguadona 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.
Inguadona Lake is a 1,133-acre lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 79 feet (20-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-07-13. 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 Inguadona Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Inguadona Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Inguadona 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Inguadona Lake
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Water Temperature
Inguadona Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 66°F) and coldest in Sep (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 417 field readings (2010–2018) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Inguadona Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 79 ft |
| Average Depth | 20.3 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,133 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 11 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Inguadona LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Inguadona 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
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.37 | — |
| BCS | 12.57 | — |
| PGS | 11.48 | — |
| LGP | 9.38 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 7.04 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.38 | 0.21 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2025-07-31 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Inguadona Lake, which is located partially within the Leech Lake Reservation, on July 31st, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Inguadona Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — InguadonaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Inguadona (1612)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — InguadonaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — InguadonaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.138 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-06 (2021) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2015-12-20 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-20
EPA Impairment Status
Inguadona 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 MN11-0120-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.1 km)
Graded lakes near Inguadona Lake
Inguadona Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Inguadona Lake
What is the water quality grade for Inguadona Lake?
- Inguadona Lake in Cass County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 79 ft. Surface area: 1132.92 acres.
Is Inguadona Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Inguadona 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 Inguadona Lake?
- Inguadona Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 417 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2018). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Inguadona Lake?
- Inguadona Lake has a maximum depth of 79 feet and an average depth of 20.3 feet. The lake covers 1132.92 acres.
What fish are in Inguadona Lake?
- Fish species found in Inguadona Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Inguadona Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Inguadona Lake thaw?
- Inguadona Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 224 days.
Are there boat ramps on Inguadona Lake?
- Inguadona Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Inguadona Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS3 samples · 2021–2022
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate