Minnewawa Lake
Minnewawa Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 2351.26 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 2,351 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Minnewawa Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Minnewawa Lake is a 2,351-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Aitkin County, Minnewawa Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. 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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Minnewawa Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minnewawa Lake in Aitkin 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 | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 8.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,351 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 18.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 97% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minnewawa Lake (East)Public
- Minnewawa Lake (West)Public
- Minnewawa Lake (Southeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Minnewawa Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
22 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 24.22 | 0.25 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.99 | 0.16 lb |
| GOS | 8.50 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 6.76 | 0.83 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.91 | 1.28 lb |
| Walleye | 4.11 | 2.01 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
Yellow Perch
Yellow Bass
Largemouth Bass
From the 2024-07-22 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lake Minnewawa was conducted 07/22/2024 by Aitkin Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Minnewawa Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MinnewawaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Minnewawa (0137)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MinnewawaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MinnewawaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.016 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (63 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-07 (2019) | 2016-12-07 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-12
EPA Impairment Status
Minnewawa 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 MN01-0033-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 18 lakes in Aitkin County
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Minnewawa Lake
What is the water quality grade for Minnewawa Lake?
- Minnewawa Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 2351.26 acres.
Is Minnewawa Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Minnewawa Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 11 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Minnewawa Lake?
- Minnewawa Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 8.2 feet. The lake covers 2351.26 acres.
What fish are in Minnewawa Lake?
- Fish species found in Minnewawa Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Minnewawa Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Minnewawa Lake thaw?
- Minnewawa Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Minnewawa Lake?
- Minnewawa Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minnewawa Lake (East), Minnewawa Lake (West), Minnewawa Lake (Southeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Minnewawa Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA42 samples · 2020–2025
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 (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate