Little Island Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota73 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Island Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 73.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 1979 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Island Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Island Lake is a 73-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-07-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Island Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Island Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Island Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.3 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.3µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Island Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Island Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 65°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (65°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2016–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 1979 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Island Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1979-06-25 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1979-06-25 (Standard Survey)
47 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 75.63 | 0.11 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 24.63 | 0.16 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 24.50 | 0.12 lb | |
| Yellow Bullhead | 8.88 | 0.28 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 8.00 | 0.32 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 3.00 | 1.92 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1979-06-25 survey
Perch, Bluegill, and Crappie populations are considerably higher than state and local medians. All other fish populations are within nrml limits for this type of lake.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Island 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 IslandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little IslandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
35 ft
Surface area
73 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
25%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,368 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Island Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Little Island Lake
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Fishing Little Island Lake
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Island Lake
Where is Little Island Lake?
- Little Island Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Island Lake?
- Little Island Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 73.41 acres.
Is Little Island Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Island Lake?
- Little Island Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Island Lake?
- Little Island Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 73.41 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Island Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 1979 caught 5.50 northern pike per gill net at Little Island Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Island Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Little Island Lake?
- Public access to Little Island Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder