Island Lake
Island Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 1179.48 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 1,179 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Becker County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Island Lake is a 1,179-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 38 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Island Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island Lake in Becker 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 Island Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Island Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Island Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,179 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Island LakePublic
- Tamarac Bay ResortSemi-private
- Hatfield's Island View ResortSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 30.82 | 0.45 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 24.23 | — |
| Bluegill | 17.94 | 0.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.38 | 0.26 lb |
| CNM | 9.20 | — |
| Walleye | 8.68 | 1.43 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.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Walleye
From the 2023-08-14 survey
Island is a 1,142-acre, class 25 lake located in central Becker County approximately 5.5 miles northwest of Snellman. The lake offers a quality multi-species fishery for Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Smallmouth Bass. Water quality and fish habitat in Island Lake are also well suited for Walleyes, with natural…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Island Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Island (1200)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.267 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.93 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (40 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2008-05-08 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-05 (1991) | 1998-12-20 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-08
EPA Impairment Status
Island 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 MN03-0153-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Island Lake?
- Island Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 1179.48 acres.
Is Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Island Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Island Lake?
- Island Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Island Lake?
- Island Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 1179.48 acres.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Island Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
When does Island Lake thaw?
- Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Does Island Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Island Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Island Lake?
- Island Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Island Lake, Tamarac Bay Resort, Hatfield's Island View Resort. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Island Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
97 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
MNPCA97 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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