King Lake
King Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 310.62 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 311 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near King Lake →
Next lake in Itasca County
King Lake is a 311-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, King Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 29 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 29 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near King Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near King Lake in Itasca 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around King Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near King Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
King Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full King Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 311 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 45% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 King Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2009-08-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 19.00 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Crappie | 12.17 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.35 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.19 | 1.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.11 | 3.49 lb |
| Walleye | 2.29 | 3.21 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2009-08-17 survey
King Lake is a 296-acre lake located 17 miles north of Taconite, MN. The lake is relatively shallow with a maximum depth of 23 ft and a littoral area of 141 acres. The lake has an outlet to Balsam Lake on the south shore. Water levels are controlled by a small control structure on the outlet and is a migration barrier…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for King Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KingFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — King (0785)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — KingPublic 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 | → Stable | -0.014 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.95 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.51 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
King 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 MN31-0258-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #65 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about King Lake
What is the water quality grade for King Lake?
- King Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 310.62 acres.
Is King Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. King Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 29 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of King Lake?
- King Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is King Lake?
- King Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 310.62 acres.
What fish are in King Lake?
- Fish species found in King Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. King Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Explore King Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
153 measurements from 2 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 Water
MNPCA153 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 (2)
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