Little Star Lake
Little Star Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 49.24 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 49 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Little Star 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 Star 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 Star Lake is a 49-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. 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 Star Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Little Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Star 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 Star Lake
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Water Temperature
Little Star Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Star Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 49 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 26% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Star Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-07-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 209.95 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 58.09 | — |
| BCS | 15.40 | — |
| Bluegill | 12.32 | 0.21 lb |
| BKF | 11.00 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 6.60 | — |
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
From the 2010-07-26 survey
Little Star Lake is a 50 acre lake located 5 miles southwest of Crosslake. The lake is part of a chain of lakes characterized as having hard water, low fertility, and very good water clarity. The maximum depth is approximately 30 feet and about 26% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. Northern pike are the lakes…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Star Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little StarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.34 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.12 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Star 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 MN18-0312-03 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.99 km)
Graded lakes near Little Star Lake
Little Star Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Little Star Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 49.24 acres.
Is Little Star Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Star 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 Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Star Lake?
- Little Star Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 49.24 acres.
What fish are in Little Star Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Star Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Star Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
41 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
MNPCA41 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