Middle Whipple Lake
Middle Whipple Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28.7 ft. Surface area: 301.42 acres.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Max depth
- 28.7 ft
- Area
- 301 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Middle Whipple Lake is a 301-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Middle Whipple Lake ranks #37 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Middle Whipple Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Middle Whipple 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 28.7 ft |
| Surface Area | 301 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 98% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Whipple LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Middle Whipple Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 41.83 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 22.37 | 0.32 lb |
| CNM | 18.64 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.83 | 1.49 lb |
| BNS | 15.34 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 9.18 | 0.58 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
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
From the 2022-06-27 survey
A targeted survey including nearshore, trap net, and gill net sampling was completed during the week of June 27th, 2022 in Whipple Lake by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Middle Whipple Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WhippleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Whipple (0200)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WhipplePublic 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 | +0.151 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Middle Whipple Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0387-02 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #37 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Whipple Lake
What is the water quality grade for Middle Whipple Lake?
- Middle Whipple Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28.7 ft. Surface area: 301.42 acres.
Is Middle Whipple Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Middle Whipple Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Middle Whipple Lake?
- Middle Whipple Lake has a maximum depth of 28.7 feet. The lake covers 301.42 acres.
What fish are in Middle Whipple Lake?
- Fish species found in Middle Whipple Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Middle Whipple Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Middle Whipple Lake?
- Middle Whipple Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Whipple Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
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