Mitchell Lake
Sherburne County, Minnesota170 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mitchell Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Impaired biota (cause unknown)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 33 ft max depth
Mitchell Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 169.5 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 19, 2019 caught 16.10 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Mitchell Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches. DNR survey details →
Mitchell Lake is a 170-acre mesotrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (14-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 17 other monitored lakes in Sherburne County, Mitchell Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Mitchell Lake covers about 170 acres in Sherburne County. The median ice-out date is April 6, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Mitchell Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Mitchell Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 6
- Deep water33 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow 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. Mitchell Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mitchell Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Mitchell Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mitchell Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.7 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mitchell Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mitchell Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 49 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mitchell Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 19, 2019 caught 16.10 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Mitchell Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mitchell 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-19 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2019-06-19 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.90 | ||
| Bluegill | 23.92 | 2–9 in 2017-08-02 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.09 | 5–19 in 2017-08-02 | 0.98 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.77 | 4 in 2017-05-31 | 0.1 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 9.40 | 3–8 in 2017-08-02 | 0.23 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2019-06-19 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community was conducted on June 19, 2019 by Fisheries Lake IBI program staff. Sampling stations 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…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mitchell Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MitchellFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MitchellFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Average depth
13.8 ft
Surface area
170 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
63%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mitchell Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mitchell Lake in Sherburne 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 Mitchell Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mitchell 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.7 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 6
Earliest Mar 3, 2024 · Latest May 1, 2018
Most recent ice-out
Mar 3
2024
25 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Mitchell Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN71-0081-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Mitchell Lake
Where is Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake is a lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 169.5 acres.
Is Mitchell Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mitchell Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for impaired biota (cause unknown), mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 49 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 13.8 feet. The lake covers 169.5 acres.
What fish are in Mitchell Lake?
- Fish species found in Mitchell Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mitchell Lake is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mitchell Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 19, 2019 caught 16.10 bluegill per hour of electrofishing at Mitchell Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–9 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mitchell 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.
When does Mitchell Lake thaw?
- Mitchell Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6.
Can I fish at Mitchell Lake?
- Public access to Mitchell Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Mitchell Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
104 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA104 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate