Mesaba Lake
Mesaba Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 213.13 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 213 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cook County
Why Mesaba 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 Mesaba Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Mesaba Lake is a 213-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (24-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including green sunfish, lake trout, and northern pike. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-07-03. 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 Mesaba Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Mesaba Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mesaba Lake in Cook 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 Mesaba Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 24.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 213 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| 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 Mesaba Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 7.66 | 1.43 lb |
| Lake Trout | 2.83 | 4.46 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.56 | 2.99 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 1.00 | 0.08 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
Lake Trout
Northern Pike
Green Sunfish
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Mesaba Lake on August 4th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mesaba Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MesabaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.115 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Mesaba Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0673-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Mesaba Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mesaba Lake?
- Mesaba Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 213.13 acres.
Is Mesaba Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Mesaba 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 Mesaba Lake?
- Mesaba Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 24.4 feet. The lake covers 213.13 acres.
What fish are in Mesaba Lake?
- Fish species found in Mesaba Lake include green sunfish, lake trout, northern pike, white sucker. Mesaba Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
Explore Mesaba Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA1 sample · 2021
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