Movil Lake
Movil Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 855.17 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 855 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
Next lake in Beltrami County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Movil Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Movil Lake is a 855-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 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 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Movil Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Movil Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Movil 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.
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Water Temperature
Movil Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 67 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Movil Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 855 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 60% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Movil Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| CNM | 45.46 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 20.50 | 0.15 lb |
| BKF | 13.58 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.10 | — |
| Bluegill | 10.60 | 0.2 lb |
| IOD | 10.59 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Movil Lake on August 4th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Movil Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MovilFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MovilFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MovilPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.03 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.12 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (43 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-25 (2012) | 2013-05-14 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-10 (2017) | 2017-11-10 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2021-04-01
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Movil Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Movil Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the TURTLE RIVER; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 55 ft long.
- Surface area
- 853 ac
- Normal storage
- 12,960 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 19,018 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 56.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00015 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Movil 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 MN04-0152-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Movil Lake
What is the water quality grade for Movil Lake?
- Movil Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 855.17 acres.
Is Movil Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Movil Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Movil Lake?
- Movil Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 67 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Movil Lake?
- Movil Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 855.17 acres.
What fish are in Movil Lake?
- Fish species found in Movil Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, redhorse, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Movil Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
When does Movil Lake thaw?
- Movil Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20.
Explore Movil Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
167 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA166 samples · 2020–2025 - Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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