Little Lake Inlet
Little Lake Inlet in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
- Typical in August
- 62°F
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Why Little Lake Inlet has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: 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 Lake Inlet, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years).
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 Lake Inlet is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality 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 Lake Inlet
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
No clarity data.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | No recent samples | |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples |
Where to stay near Little Lake Inlet
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Lake Inlet in Cook 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 Lake Inlet
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Little Lake Inlet typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 64°F) and coldest in Jun (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 84 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Lake Inlet water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Lake Inlet. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — SuperiorFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SuperiorPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Fishing Little Lake Inlet
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -10.747 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.28 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Little Lake Inlet under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Grand Portage Wastewater Stabilization LagoonGrand Portage · 1.4 mi away · NPDES MN0025887Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Graded lakes near Little Lake Inlet
Little Lake Inlet has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Little Lake Inlet
Where is Little Lake Inlet?
- Little Lake Inlet is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Little Lake Inlet?
- Little Lake Inlet in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar.
Is Little Lake Inlet safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Lake Inlet 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 Lake Inlet?
- Little Lake Inlet typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August, from 84 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Little Lake Inlet across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Grand Portage Reservation
GPC5_WQX5 samples · 2022–2024 - 21GPBCH - Grand Portage Beaches (Tribal)
21GPBCH2 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)