Little Wabana Lake
Little Wabana Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 115.73 acres.
- Clarity
- 24 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 57 ft
- Area
- 116 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 23
- Open water
- 222 days
Next lake in Itasca County
Little Wabana Lake is a 116-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 57 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including bluegill, green sunfish, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Little Wabana Lake ranks #47 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Little Wabana Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 24 ft down. Phosphorus level: 6.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 33.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 6.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.6 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Little Wabana Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Wabana 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 Wabana 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 →
Water Temperature
Little Wabana Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Wabana Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 57 ft |
| Surface Area | 116 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 27% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Island LakePublic
- Wabana Lake (Southeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Wabana Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2005-08-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 24.72 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.41 | 0.18 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 10.41 | 1.04 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.94 | 0.38 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.77 | 0.22 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.39 | 5.07 lb |
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
Yellow Perch
Tullibee (Cisco)
Rock Bass
From the 2005-08-29 survey
Little Wabana Lake is a 104 acre lake located 11 miles north of Grand Rapids, MN in the Mississippi River watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet and clear water (18 ft Secchi transparency). There is a privately owned boat access on the north end of the lake off County Road #49. As in the two previous…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Wabana 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 WabanaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.066 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 222 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-09 (2017) | 2021-12-08 (2021) |
| Ice-In | 2007-12-01 (2007) | 2021-12-08 (2021) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-07
County Ranking
Ranked #47 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Little Wabana Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Wabana Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Wabana Lake?
- Little Wabana Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 6.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 57 ft. Surface area: 115.73 acres.
Is Little Wabana Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Little Wabana Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Wabana Lake?
- Little Wabana Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Wabana Lake?
- Little Wabana Lake has a maximum depth of 57 feet. The lake covers 115.73 acres.
What fish are in Little Wabana Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Wabana Lake include bluegill, green sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow perch. Little Wabana Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Little Wabana Lake thaw?
- Little Wabana Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 222 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Wabana Lake?
- Little Wabana Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Island Lake, Wabana Lake (Southeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Wabana Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Wabana Lake
Other Grade B Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
74 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA74 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate