Little Emily Lake
Little Emily Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 98.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Max depth
- 26 ft
- Area
- 99 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Little Emily 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 Emily 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 Emily Lake is a 99-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 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 2020-10-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Little Emily Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Little Emily Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 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 Little Emily Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Emily Lake in Crow Wing 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 Emily 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft |
| Surface Area | 99 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 90% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Little Emily Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1987-08-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 43.67 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 31.89 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 24.06 | 0.35 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.61 | 0.24 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.25 | 3.46 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.00 | 0.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1987-08-05 survey
Largemouth bass and black crappie net catches indicate above average populations. Net catches were above the third quartile of the Brainerd area lakes that are smaller than 230 acres and have a total alkalinity of less than 47.6 ppm. Northern pike, pumpkinseed, bluegill and yellow perch net catches indicate a normal…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Emily Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little EmilyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Emily (0232)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.119 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Emily 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 MN11-0043-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.66 km)
Graded lakes near Little Emily Lake
Little Emily Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Little Emily Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Emily Lake?
- Little Emily Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 98.9 acres.
Is Little Emily Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Emily Lake 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 Little Emily Lake?
- Little Emily Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet. The lake covers 98.9 acres.
Explore Little Emily Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Emily Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2020
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