Moose Lake
Moose Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 131.8 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 13 ft
- Area
- 132 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Moose Lake →
Next lake in Beltrami County
Moose Lake is a 132-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Moose Lake ranks #79 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 28.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 61.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 58.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 28.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 61 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moose Lake in Beltrami 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Moose Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Moose Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Moose Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Sep (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 59 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 132 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Moose LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Moose Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 29.15 | 0.4 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 25.97 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.38 | 1.76 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 6.16 | 0.98 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.92 | 0.48 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.90 | 0.37 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Brown Bullhead
From the 2025-06-16 survey
Moose Lake is a 132 acre lake located on the border of Beltrami and Clearwater counties about 3.5 miles south of US Highway 2. A county maintained, earthen public assess is located on the west side of the lake off of 320th Street with space for about five vehicles with trailers. Due to low water, the lake is only…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Moose Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Moose (1710)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MooseFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.4 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +16 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +10.25 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Moose Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0342-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #79 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Moose Lake holds Grade D. 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 Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Moose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 131.8 acres.
Is Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Moose Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 28.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 59 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 131.8 acres.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Moose Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Moose Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Moose Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Moose Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2020–2022
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