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LakeQuality

Jordan Lake

NR
Not yet rated
10.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 142 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Jordan Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 142.45 acres.

Clarity
10.5 ft
Max depth
66 ft
Area
142 acres
Trend
Stable
Public access
No

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NRCattyman Lake7 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Why Jordan 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 Jordan 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.

Jordan Lake is a 142-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 66 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-30. 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 Jordan Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)10.5 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)43Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Jordan Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jordan 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 Jordan 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 Depth66 ft
Surface Area142 acres
Shoreline Length6.2 mi
Littoral Zone42%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Elevation
1,480 ft

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

Fishing Jordan Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-19 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
White Sucker2.333.25 lb
Walleye1.172 lb
Northern Pike1.003.08 lb
Tullibee (Cisco)1.000.12 lb
Yellow Perch0.330.15 lb
BUB0.171 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

From the 2025-08-19 survey

Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Jordan Lake on August 19th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake.…

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 Jordan Lake. 1 report on file.

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

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.037 m/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Jordan Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0400-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.35 km)

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Jordan Lake

What is the water quality grade for Jordan Lake?

Jordan Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 66 ft. Surface area: 142.45 acres.

Is Jordan Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Jordan 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 Jordan Lake?

Jordan Lake has a maximum depth of 66 feet. The lake covers 142.45 acres.

Where this data comes from

26 measurements from 9 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA26 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (9)

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