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LakeQuality

Mitawan Lake

A
Grade A — Excellent
Excellent · #16 of 35 lakes in the county · 11.3 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 191 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

Mitawan Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 191.43 acres.

Clarity
11.3 ft
Typical in August
68°F
Max depth
24 ft
Area
191 acres
Type
Oligotrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
No
Ice-out
May 2

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CGegoka Lake3.4 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Mitawan Lake is a 191-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bluegill, burbot, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Mitawan Lake ranks #16 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited 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.

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Ely

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Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Good clarity, visible to about 11.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)11.3 ftNot graded
Phosphorus7.5 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)2.4 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Mitawan Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mitawan Lake in Lake 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 Mitawan Lake

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

Water Temperature

Mitawan Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
56°
Jun
62°
Jul
66°
Aug
68°
Sep
60°
Oct
Nov
Dec

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (20252025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mitawan Lake water temperature breakdown →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth24 ft
Surface Area191 acres
Shoreline Length4.6 mi
Littoral Zone55%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
Elevation
1,713 ft

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

Fish Species

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

Fishing Mitawan Lake

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.14 m/yr6
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (43 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
May 2
EarliestLatest
Ice-Out1958-04-18 (1958)1950-05-20 (1950)

Most recent ice-out: 2020-05-02

EPA Impairment Status

Mitawan Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0557-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.68 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #16 of 35 lakes in Lake County

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Mitawan Lake

What is the water quality grade for Mitawan Lake?

Mitawan Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 191.43 acres.

Is Mitawan Lake safe to swim in?

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Mitawan Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

What is the water temperature of Mitawan Lake?

Mitawan Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Mitawan Lake?

Mitawan Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 191.43 acres.

What fish are in Mitawan Lake?

Fish species found in Mitawan Lake include bluegill, burbot, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Mitawan Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.

When does Mitawan Lake thaw?

Mitawan Lake typically has ice-out around May 2.

Where this data comes from

18 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA18 samples · 2025

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

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate