Kemo Lake
Kemo Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 189.08 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 189 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cook County
Why Kemo 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 Kemo 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.
Kemo Lake is a 189-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including lake trout, splake, and white sucker. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-10. 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 Kemo Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Kemo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kemo Lake in Cook 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 Kemo Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Kemo Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Sep (about 68°F) and coldest in Aug (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 109 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kemo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 189 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 9% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Kemo Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 9.92 | — |
| White Sucker | 7.13 | 0.87 lb |
| Lake Trout | 5.13 | 1.43 lb |
| CSH | 4.00 | 0.16 lb |
| CRC | 1.79 | 0.24 lb |
| NRD | 1.67 | — |
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.
White Sucker
Lake Trout
CRC
From the 2025-08-21 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Kemo Lake on August 21st, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. Lake Trout…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Kemo Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KemoFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Kemo (1665)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — KemoFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.234 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.75 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.85 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Kemo 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 MN16-0188-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Kemo Lake
Kemo Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Kemo Lake
What is the water quality grade for Kemo Lake?
- Kemo Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 189.08 acres.
Is Kemo Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Kemo 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 Kemo Lake?
- Kemo Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 109 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Kemo Lake?
- Kemo Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 189.08 acres.
What fish are in Kemo Lake?
- Fish species found in Kemo Lake include lake trout, splake, white sucker. Kemo Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
Explore Kemo Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
45 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
MNPCA45 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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