Lower Mission Lake
Lower Mission Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 732.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 732 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 218 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Lower Mission Lake is a 732-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Lower Mission Lake ranks #74 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 14 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 36 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 14 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Lower Mission Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Mission 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 Lower Mission Lake
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Water Temperature
Lower Mission Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lower Mission Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lower Mission Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (84,723 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 732 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- TrommaldPublic
- Black Bear LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lower Mission Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKF | 32.93 | — |
| Bluegill | 26.14 | 0.19 lb |
| BKS | 25.61 | — |
| Northern Pike | 20.77 | 2.29 lb |
| IOD | 19.26 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.83 | 1.14 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
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-27 survey
Lower Mission Lake is a 732 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 27', located just east of the town of Ossipee, MN. Lower Mission is in the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Fourteen 100' long sampling stations were…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Mission Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower MissionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Lower MissionPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.235 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.7 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.83 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (129 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-21 (2012) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-04 (1991) | 2017-12-25 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-09
EPA Impairment Status
Lower Mission 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 MN18-0243-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #74 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Lower Mission Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Mission Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lower Mission Lake?
- Lower Mission Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 36 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 14 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 732.2 acres.
Is Lower Mission Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Lower Mission Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 14 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Lower Mission Lake?
- Lower Mission Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lower Mission Lake?
- Lower Mission Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 732.2 acres.
What fish are in Lower Mission Lake?
- Fish species found in Lower Mission Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lower Mission Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Lower Mission Lake thaw?
- Lower Mission Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 20. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Does Lower Mission Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Lower Mission Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (84,723 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Lower Mission Lake?
- Lower Mission Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Trommald, Black Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lower Mission Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
95 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
MNPCA95 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate