Skip to main content
LakeQuality

Lizz Lake

NR
Not yet rated
9 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 23 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Lizz Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 23.2 acres.

Clarity
9 ft
Max depth
30 ft
Area
23 acres
Trend
Declining
Public access
No

Next lake in Cook County

APoplar Lake10.2 ft clear · Cook CountyView →
Loading map…

Why Lizz 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 Lizz Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.

Lizz Lake is a 23-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet (8-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including brook trout, northern pike, and white sucker. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-07-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Watch Lizz Lake water quality

Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Ely

Get alerts for Lizz Lake

Water quality measurements for Lizz Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Trophic State Index: 45.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)9 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)45Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Lizz Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lizz Lake 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 Lizz 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

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth30 ft
Average Depth8.3 ft
Surface Area23 acres
Shoreline Length1.5 mi
Littoral Zone91%
Public AccessNo

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Lizz Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-10-03 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Brook Trout11.541.48 lb
Pumpkinseed6.220.07 lb
Yellow Perch5.580.14 lb
White Sucker3.711.15 lb
Northern Pike3.172.07 lb
Walleye1.004.25 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.

Brook Trout

1 fish · 1919 in · 2013-10-03
1019

Pumpkinseed

34 fish · 34 in · 2002-09-19
2513034

Yellow Perch

3 fish · 68 in · 2002-09-19
10678

White Sucker

2 fish · 1113 in · 2013-10-03
10111213

From the 2013-10-03 survey

In June 2013 a local guide reported seeing northern pike in Lizz Lake, and he reported there were no more brook trout present. This assessment was done to confirm that report. Lizz Lake was reclaimed for stream trout management in 1985, using a fish toxicant to remove its original fish community (walleye, northern…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lizz Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.178 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-0.2 µg/L/yr6
Chlorophyll-a Declining+0.16 µg/L/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Lizz Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0215-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.62 km)

Graded lakes near Lizz Lake

Lizz Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Cook County

Frequently asked questions about Lizz Lake

What is the water quality grade for Lizz Lake?

Lizz Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 23.2 acres.

Is Lizz Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lizz 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 Lizz Lake?

Lizz Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and an average depth of 8.3 feet. The lake covers 23.2 acres.

What fish are in Lizz Lake?

Fish species found in Lizz Lake include brook trout, northern pike, white sucker. Lizz Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.

Where this data comes from

2 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 WaterMNPCA2 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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder