Marquette Lake
Marquette Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 527.56 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 51 ft
- Area
- 528 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Beltrami County
Marquette Lake is a 528-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 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 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Marquette Lake ranks #73 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. 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 9.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.9 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Marquette Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Marquette Lake in Beltrami 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.
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Water Temperature
Marquette Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°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 77 field readings (2018–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Marquette Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft |
| Surface Area | 528 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 54% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Marquette 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
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BCS | 135.38 | — |
| CSH | 87.83 | — |
| BNS | 59.11 | — |
| White Sucker | 53.15 | 2.37 lb |
| BKF | 50.24 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 45.22 | 0.18 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.
White Sucker
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-08-05 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Marquette Lake on August 5th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Marquette Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MarquetteFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.049 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.16 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Marquette 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 MN04-0142-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #73 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Marquette 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 Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Marquette Lake
What is the water quality grade for Marquette Lake?
- Marquette Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 527.56 acres.
Is Marquette Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Marquette Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Marquette Lake?
- Marquette Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 77 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Marquette Lake?
- Marquette Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 527.56 acres.
What fish are in Marquette Lake?
- Fish species found in Marquette Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, redhorse, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Marquette Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
Explore Marquette Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
92 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
MNPCA92 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 (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