Leavitt Lake
Leavitt Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 121.53 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 122 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
Next lake in Cass County
Leavitt Lake is a 122-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Leavitt Lake ranks #55 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Leavitt Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow 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
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Leavitt Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Leavitt Lake in Cass 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 Leavitt Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Leavitt Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 39 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Leavitt Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 122 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 31% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Leavitt LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Leavitt Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 17.21 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.45 | 0.73 lb |
| JND | 5.09 | — |
| LES | 4.27 | — |
| Black Crappie | 4.05 | 0.2 lb |
| BCS | 3.70 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
From the 2023-07-05 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Leavitt Lake was conducted on July 5-6, 2023, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine. Nearshore sampling captured fourteen…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Leavitt Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LeavittFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Leavitt (1485)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LeavittFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LeavittPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.157 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.34 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.69 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2020-04-17 (2020) | 1995-04-23 (1995) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-07 (2019) | 2018-11-13 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-17
EPA Impairment Status
Leavitt Lake 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 MN11-0053-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.94 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #55 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Leavitt Lake
What is the water quality grade for Leavitt Lake?
- Leavitt Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 121.53 acres.
Is Leavitt Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Leavitt Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Leavitt Lake?
- Leavitt Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 39 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Leavitt Lake?
- Leavitt Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 121.53 acres.
What fish are in Leavitt Lake?
- Fish species found in Leavitt Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Leavitt Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Leavitt Lake thaw?
- Leavitt Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22.
Are there boat ramps on Leavitt Lake?
- Leavitt Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Leavitt Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Leavitt Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Leavitt Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
82 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
MNPCA82 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate