Mina Lake
Mina Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 123 ft. Surface area: 411.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 123 ft
- Area
- 411 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
Next lake in Douglas County
Why Mina 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 Mina Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. 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.
Mina Lake is a 411-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 123 feet (28-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-27. 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 Mina Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Mina Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mina Lake in Douglas 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 Mina Lake
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Water Temperature
Mina Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Jun (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mina Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mina Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (124,738 cells/mL) on November 8, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 123 ft |
| Average Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 411 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Mina 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 1291.38 | — |
| Bluegill | 26.98 | 0.19 lb |
| CNM | 19.00 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.75 | 0.61 lb |
| BCS | 12.82 | — |
| BKF | 6.45 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-07-11 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Mina Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 11-13 July 2023. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mina Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MinaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MinaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MinaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.114 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-16 (2024) | 2022-04-28 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-28 (2018) | 2024-01-04 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-16
EPA Impairment Status
Mina 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 MN21-0108-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Mina Lake
Mina Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Mina Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mina Lake?
- Mina Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 123 ft. Surface area: 411.41 acres.
Is Mina Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Mina Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Mina Lake?
- Mina Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mina Lake?
- Mina Lake has a maximum depth of 123 feet and an average depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 411.41 acres.
What fish are in Mina Lake?
- Fish species found in Mina Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mina Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Mina Lake thaw?
- Mina Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20.
Does Mina Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mina Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (124,738 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Mina Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
60 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
MNPCA60 samples · 2020–2025
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate