Lake of the Clouds
Lake of the Clouds in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 28.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- 110 ft
- Area
- 29 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Why Lake of the Clouds 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 Lake of the Clouds, 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.
Lake of the Clouds is a 29-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 110 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. 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 2022-07-03. 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 Lake of the Clouds
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lake of the Clouds
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of the Clouds 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 Lake of the Clouds
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 110 ft |
| Surface Area | 29 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Lake of the Clouds
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-31 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 4.33 | 0.88 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 2.00 | 0.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 2025-07-31 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Lake of the Clouds Lake on July 31st, 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.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lake of the Clouds. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lake of the CloudsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.136 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Lake of the Clouds is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0166-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1 km)
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Clouds
What is the water quality grade for Lake of the Clouds?
- Lake of the Clouds in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 110 ft. Surface area: 28.56 acres.
Is Lake of the Clouds safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lake of the Clouds 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 Lake of the Clouds?
- Lake of the Clouds has a maximum depth of 110 feet. The lake covers 28.56 acres.
Explore Lake of the Clouds across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA3 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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