Where is Minong Flowage Lake?

Minong Flowage Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Minong Flowage Lake?

Minong Flowage Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Minong Flowage Lake?

Minong Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 1587 acres.

Does Minong Flowage Lake have blue-green algae?

There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Minong Flowage Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (102,802 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.

Are there boat ramps on Minong Flowage Lake?

Minong Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minong Flowage, Totogatic Campground. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Minong Flowage Lake?

Minong Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Minong Flowage Lake

Washburn County, Wisconsin1,587 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Minong Flowage Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

3.5 ft

Murkier than most

Secchi · sampled 2025

Phosphorus

37.2 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~61°F

Typical for Oct · EPA WQP

Max depth

21 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

1,587 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Eutrophic
2 aquatic invasives
21 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Minong Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 1587 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Minong Flowage Lake. DNR survey details →

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Minong Flowage Lake is a 1,587-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 26 other monitored lakes in Washburn County, Minong Flowage Lake ranks #26 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Minong Flowage Lake covers about 1,600 acres in Washburn County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Minong Flowage Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.

What Minong Flowage Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps
Fishing5 species recorded
Big water1,587 acres

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Moderate algae

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 Minong Flowage Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Compare swimming lakes near Hayward →

Get alerts for Minong Flowage Lake →

Water quality measurements for Minong Flowage Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Minong Flowage Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 37.2 µg/L. TSI 58.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	3.5ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	37.2µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)		No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	58	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Minong Flowage Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Minong Flowage Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

63°

May

70°

Jun

76°

Jul

73°

Aug

67°

Sep

61°

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (76°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Minong Flowage Lake water temperature breakdown →

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)

No current satellite reading

There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Minong Flowage Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (102,802 cells/mL) on July 9, 2026.

Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Minong Flowage Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Minong Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1989. 46 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Good · Reservoir lake

Trophic State Index 57 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Walleye(Abundant)Panfish(Common)Northern Pike(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Smallmouth Bass(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

DNR Reports & Resources

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for Minong Flowage Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

2023
Minong Flowage comprehensive survey, 2023
Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)

Lake Details

Max depth

21 ft

Surface area

1,587 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

302 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

16 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

988 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Minong FlowagePublic
Totogatic CampgroundPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Minong Flowage Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minong Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin — 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 Minong Flowage Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Follow Minong Flowage Lake’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Smallmouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Minong Flowage 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.

Chinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedEurasian Water-MilfoilPurple Loosestrife

Water Quality Trend: Worsening

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Water clarity
Stable
5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+3.89 µg/L/yr4 years

See year-by-year chart →

Reservoir Info (USACE NID)

Minong Flowage Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Minong Flowage (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the TOTAGATIC; gravity-type dam, 29 ft tall and 300 ft long.

Surface area: 1,609 ac
Normal storage: 13,327 ac-ft
Max storage: 23,000 ac-ft
Drainage area: 320 sq mi
Hazard class: High
Owner: Washburn County

All listed purposes: Recreation;Hydroelectric.

Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID WI00087 · Operator website

Nearby Lakes in Washburn County

Upper Kimball Lake10 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Middle Kimball Lake16 ft clear · Oligotrophic—View →Lower Kimball Lake6 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Sleepy Eye Lake—View →Gilmore Lake10 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Horseshoe Lake13 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about Minong Flowage Lake

Where is Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 37.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 1587 acres.
Is Minong Flowage 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 Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 1587 acres.
What fish are in Minong Flowage Lake?: Fish species found in Minong Flowage Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Minong Flowage Lake is located in Washburn County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Minong Flowage Lake?: Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Minong Flowage Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Minong Flowage Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Minong Flowage Lake have blue-green algae?: There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Minong Flowage Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (102,802 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minong Flowage, Totogatic Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Minong Flowage Lake?: Minong Flowage Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

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Where this data comes from

172 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX172 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (3)

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)

Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory