Little Cowhorn Lake
Little Cowhorn Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 181.31 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 12 ft
- Area
- 181 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Little Cowhorn Lake 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 Little Cowhorn Lake, 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.
Little Cowhorn Lake is a 181-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-29. 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 Little Cowhorn Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Little Cowhorn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Cowhorn 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Cowhorn Lake
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Water Temperature
Little Cowhorn Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Aug (about 70°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Cowhorn Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 181 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Herb BeersPublic
- Little Cowhorn LakePublic
- County Road 72Public
Fishing Little Cowhorn Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1992-07-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 65.96 | 0.11 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 15.84 | 0.27 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.08 | 2.86 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.83 | 0.38 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.33 | 1.55 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.33 | 0.24 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1992-07-08 survey
Little Cowhorn Lake has a long history of low winter oxygen levels with many severe winterkills documented and several years when it was opened to "unlimited fishing". Northern pike rescue operations were done on the lake from the late 1930's to 1970, and walleye were reared in 1983 with no success. Fish populations…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Cowhorn Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little CowhornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Cowhorn (0553)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little CowhornPublic 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 | -0.25 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Cowhorn 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 MN31-0198-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Little Cowhorn Lake
Little Cowhorn Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Cowhorn Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Cowhorn Lake?
- Little Cowhorn Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 181.31 acres.
Is Little Cowhorn Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Cowhorn Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Cowhorn Lake?
- Little Cowhorn Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Cowhorn Lake?
- Little Cowhorn Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 181.31 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Little Cowhorn Lake?
- Little Cowhorn Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Herb Beers, Little Cowhorn Lake, County Road 72. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
31 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
MNPCA31 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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