Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.6 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5.2 ft
- Mean depth
- ~35 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 5
Next lake in Lake of the Woods County
Lake of the Woods is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 35 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 9 other monitored lakes in Lake of the Woods County, Lake of the Woods ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Lake of the Woods water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 31 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lake of the Woods
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake of the Woods in Lake of the Woods 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 Woods
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 →
Current Conditions
USGS snapshot Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM from gauge 05140520 (Lake of the Woods at Warroad, MN). Station page ↗ — a live reading replaces this snapshot when the gauge responds. Missing live data is not an all-clear.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~35 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Lake of the Woods.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Lake of the Woods
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lake of the Woods. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lake of the Woods (Main)Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1976-04-26 (1976) | 1996-05-19 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 1986-11-11 (1986) | 1988-11-17 (1988) |
Most recent ice-out: 1997-05-06
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 10 lakes in Lake of the Woods County
Nearby Lakes in Lake of the Woods County
Frequently asked questions about Lake of the Woods
What is the water quality grade for Lake of the Woods?
- Lake of the Woods in Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.6 µg/L.
Is Lake of the Woods safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Lake of the Woods has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Lake of the Woods?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Lake of the Woods, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 35 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Lake of the Woods thaw?
- Lake of the Woods typically has ice-out around May 5.
What is the water level at Lake of the Woods?
- The USGS snapshot on this page for Lake of the Woods is 59.64 ft of gage height, recorded Jul 6, 2026, 4:30 AM at gauge 05140520. Current Conditions hydrates a live NWIS reading from that same station when the gauge responds. A missed live fetch is not an all-clear.
Explore Lake of the Woods across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Lake of the Woods
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Red Lake DNR
REDLAKE_WQX17 samples · 2021
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.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate