Island Lake
Island Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 541.25 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 541 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 224 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Island Lake is a 541-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (21-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Island Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Island Lake in Hubbard 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
Island Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 77 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 high (173,780 cells/mL) on May 10, 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 | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 541 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Island LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Island 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 20.01 | 0.43 lb |
| GOS | 18.47 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 18.15 | 0.14 lb |
| BNS | 14.86 | — |
| CSH | 13.40 | — |
| CNM | 10.82 | — |
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
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-07-28 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Island Lake was conducted on July 28-29, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Island Lake. 4 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 (1266)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — IslandFish Stocking History · 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 | +0.232 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.26 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (21 observations).
Estimated open water season: 224 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-28 (2012) | 2013-05-21 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-17 (2014) | 2016-12-08 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-03
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 MN29-0254-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Island Lake
What is the water quality grade for Island Lake?
- Island Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 541.25 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 6.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Island Lake?
- Island Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 77 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 65 feet and an average depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 541.25 acres.
What fish are in Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Island Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, greater redhorse, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Island Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Island Lake thaw?
- Island Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 224 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 high (173,780 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 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Island Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Island Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
110 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
MNPCA110 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