Meander Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota99 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Meander Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Meander Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 98.71 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2014 caught 0.17 northern pike per gill net at Meander Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 40–40 inches. DNR survey details →
Meander Lake is a 99-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and smallmouth bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Meander Lake ranks #58 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Meander Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Fishing4 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Meander 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 Meander Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Meander Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.2 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 39µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.2µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Meander Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Meander Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Meander Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2014 caught 0.17 northern pike per gill net at Meander Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 40–40 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Meander Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-08-04 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2014-08-04 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 5.30 | 6–17 in 2014-08-04 | 0.43 lb |
| White Sucker | 0.50 | 2.5 lb | |
| Yellow Perch | 0.28 | 6–11 in 2014-08-04 | 0.52 lb |
| Bluegill | 0.25 | 4–6 in 2014-08-04 | 0.26 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.17 | 40 in 2014-08-04 | 15.41 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.
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.
Smallmouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2014-08-04 survey
Meander Lake is a 139 acre lake located north of the Echo Trail and 20 miles northwest of Ely. There is one public access in the middle of the lake on the south shore. There is a parking lot at the top of the hill at the end of FR 679 with a paved path that goes down to the lake. A canoe or boat with portage wheels…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Meander Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MeanderFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Meander (1363)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MeanderPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Surface area
99 acres
Shoreline
2.1 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,375 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Meander Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Meander 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 Meander Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Meander Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Meander Lake
Where is Meander Lake?
- Meander 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 Meander Lake?
- Meander Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 39 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 98.71 acres.
Is Meander 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 Meander Lake?
- Meander Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in September, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Meander Lake?
- Meander Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 98.71 acres.
What fish are in Meander Lake?
- Fish species found in Meander Lake include bluegill, northern pike, smallmouth bass, yellow perch. Meander Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Meander Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2014 caught 0.17 northern pike per gill net at Meander Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 40–40 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Meander Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Meander Lake?
- Public access to Meander Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
Explore Meander Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2025 - Eastern Regional Office
USFSEASTERN1 sample · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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