Markham Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota229 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Markham Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 29 ft max depth
- Limited data
Markham Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 229.16 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 1974 caught 0.50 northern pike per gill net at Markham Lake. DNR survey details →
Markham Lake is a 229-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Markham Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Markham Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Markham Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. TSI 61.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 61 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Markham Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Markham Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Markham Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 1974 caught 0.50 northern pike per gill net at Markham Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Markham Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1974-08-12 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1974-08-12 (Standard Survey)
52 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 5.88 | 0.14 lb | |
| White Sucker | 1.88 | 2.73 lb | |
| Bluegill | 1.25 | 0.45 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 0.50 | 0.5 lb | |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.50 | 0.3 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 0.50 | 0.45 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1974-08-12 survey
Fish populations are low with the exception of Crappies which are adequate.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Markham Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MarkhamFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
29 ft
Surface area
229 acres
Shoreline
3.7 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,417 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Markham Lake
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Fishing Markham Lake
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Markham Lake
Where is Markham Lake?
- Markham Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Markham Lake?
- Markham Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 229.16 acres.
Is Markham Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Markham Lake?
- Markham Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Markham Lake?
- Markham Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 229.16 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Markham Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 12, 1974 caught 0.50 northern pike per gill net at Markham Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Markham Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Markham Lake?
- Public access to Markham Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA9 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder