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LakeQuality

Kinney Lake

A
Grade A — Excellent
Excellent · #40 of 85 lakes in the county · 15 ft clear · Oligotrophic
Oligotrophic

Kinney Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L.

Clarity
15 ft
Typical in August
74°F
Type
Oligotrophic
Trend
Improving

Next lake in Beltrami County

ASquaw Smith Lake20 ft clear · Beltrami CountyView →
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Kinney Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Kinney Lake ranks #40 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Low 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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Bemidji

Get alerts for Kinney Lake

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)15 ftNot graded
Phosphorus8 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)2.4 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)37Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Kinney Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Kinney Lake in Beltrami 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 Kinney Lake

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Water Temperature

Kinney Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Feb (about 35°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
35°
Mar
35°
Apr
May
62°
Jun
69°
Jul
76°
Aug
74°
Sep
64°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 94 field readings (20102025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Kinney Lake water temperature breakdown →

Fishing Kinney Lake

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.356 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-0.97 µg/L/yr6
Chlorophyll-a Improving-0.59 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

County Ranking

Ranked #40 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County

Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County

Frequently asked questions about Kinney Lake

What is the water quality grade for Kinney Lake?

Kinney Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L.

Is Kinney Lake safe to swim in?

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Kinney Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Kinney Lake?

Kinney Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 94 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Where this data comes from

96 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Red Lake DNRREDLAKE_WQX96 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
  • 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
  • Turbidity by Nephelometry
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.