Mitchell Lake
Mitchell Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 10 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 170 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
Next lake in Sherburne County
Mitchell Lake is a 170-acre mesotrophic lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (14-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus level: 14.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Mitchell Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Average Depth | 13.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 170 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-06-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.90 | — |
| Bluegill | 23.92 | 0.11 lb |
| SFS | 21.45 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.09 | 0.98 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 12.77 | 0.1 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 9.40 | 0.23 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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.228 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.7 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-03 (2024) | 2018-05-01 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2006-12-06 (2006) | 2006-12-09 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-03
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN71-0081-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 18 lakes in Sherburne County
Nearby Lakes in Sherburne County
Frequently asked questions about Mitchell Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake in Sherburne County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Mitchell Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Mitchell Lake?
- Mitchell Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, 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.
When does Mitchell Lake thaw?
- Mitchell Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6.
Explore Mitchell Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
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