Lower Comstock Lake
Lower Comstock Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 159.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 160 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Lower Comstock 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 Lower Comstock 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.
Lower Comstock Lake is a 160-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-10-09. 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 Lower Comstock Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lower Comstock Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Comstock Lake in St. Louis 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 Lower Comstock Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 160 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 76% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Comstock LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lower Comstock Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 5.53 | 1.07 lb |
| Bluegill | 3.67 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.41 | 0.29 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.25 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.09 | 1.91 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.82 | 3.4 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-07-23 survey
Lower Comstock is a 160 acre lake located about 6 miles south of Markham, MN. The lake is accessed through a DNR administered public access on Upper Comstock Lake, then navigating up the channel to Lower Comstock Lake. Maximum depth is 30 feet, with about 76% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Lower Comstock was last…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Comstock Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower ComstockFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower ComstockFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower ComstockPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Lower Comstock Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0412-02 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Lower Comstock Lake
Lower Comstock Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Comstock Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lower Comstock Lake?
- Lower Comstock Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 159.7 acres.
Is Lower Comstock Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lower Comstock 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 Lower Comstock Lake?
- Lower Comstock Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 159.7 acres.
What fish are in Lower Comstock Lake?
- Fish species found in Lower Comstock Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lower Comstock Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Lower Comstock Lake?
- Lower Comstock Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Comstock Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
8 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 Water
MNPCA8 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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory