Moose Lake
Moose Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 1300.62 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 1,301 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 7
Next lake in Lake County
Why Moose Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Moose Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Moose Lake is a 1,301-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and burbot. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Moose Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Moose Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moose 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 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 →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Moose Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (222,844 cells/mL) on June 6, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,301 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 21.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 20% |
| 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.58 | 0.3 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.19 | 0.2 lb |
| Walleye | 3.57 | 1.42 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.52 | 2.38 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.30 | 2.84 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.41 | 0.2 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
Walleye
Northern Pike
From the 2025-08-07 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Moose Lake on August 7th, 2025. This was done to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Moose Lake. 3 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 (1897)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.153 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2025-05-03 (2025) | 2022-05-10 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 1979-12-01 (1979) | 1979-12-01 (1979) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-05-03
EPA Impairment Status
Moose 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 MN38-0644-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Moose Lake
Moose Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Moose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 1300.62 acres.
Is Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Moose Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 1300.62 acres.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Moose Lake include black crappie, bluegill, burbot, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Moose Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
When does Moose Lake thaw?
- Moose Lake typically has ice-out around May 7.
Does Moose Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Moose Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (222,844 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 16 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
MNPCA57 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (16)
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-101
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-210
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-208
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-100
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-217
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-212
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-203
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-202
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-205
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-216
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-211
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-214
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-201
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-204
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-207
- MNPCA-38-0644-00-215
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate