Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 109.11 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 109 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Mirror Lake is a 109-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Mirror Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Mirror Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mirror Lake in Itasca 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 | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 109 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Mirror LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mirror Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-25 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 34.80 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 18.01 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.54 | 0.65 lb |
| GOS | 7.98 | 0.07 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.72 | 2.24 lb |
| Rock Bass | 5.69 | 0.29 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
Largemouth Bass
GOS
From the 2022-07-25 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Mirror Lake was conducted on July 25th, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program 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…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mirror Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MirrorFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Mirror (0641)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MirrorPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.057 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.07 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.26 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Mirror 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 MN31-0158-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.77 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #26 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Mirror Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 109.11 acres.
Is Mirror Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Mirror Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 109.11 acres.
What fish are in Mirror Lake?
- Fish species found in Mirror Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch. Mirror Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Mirror Lake?
- Mirror Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Mirror Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2020–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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