Minong Flowage Lake
Minong Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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 →
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 1,587 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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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. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 37.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 37.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
Minong Flowage Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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)
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 ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on Minong Flowage Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Minong Flowage Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
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).
- 2023Minong Flowage comprehensive survey, 2023Comprehensive Survey · WI DNR · 2023 (PDF)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,587 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minong FlowagePublic
- Totogatic CampgroundPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.041 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.89 µg/L/yr | 4 |
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
County Ranking
Ranked #26 of 27 lakes in Washburn County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Minong Flowage Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Washburn County
Frequently asked questions about Minong Flowage Lake
Where is Minong Flowage Lake?
- Minong Flowage Lake is a lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it C for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Minong Flowage Lake?
- Minong Flowage Lake in Washburn County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of C (Fair). 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?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Minong Flowage Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Minong Flowage Lake?
- Minong Flowage Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, 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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Minong Flowage Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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.
Explore Minong Flowage Lake across LakeQuality
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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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX172 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
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