Mukooda Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota774 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mukooda Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 78 ft max depth
- Limited data
Mukooda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 773.76 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2022 caught 1.20 walleye per gill net at Mukooda Lake. DNR survey details →
Mukooda Lake is a 774-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 78 feet (40-foot average). Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Mukooda Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mukooda Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.6 ft of visibility
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Deep water78 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Mukooda Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Mukooda 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 Mukooda Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mukooda Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.6 ft down. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mukooda Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mukooda Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 55°F) and coldest in May (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (55°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 651 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mukooda Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mukooda Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2022 caught 1.20 walleye per gill net at Mukooda Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mukooda Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-22 (Standard Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-22 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 27.84 | 6–11 in 2007-08-13 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.98 | 7–16 in 2022-08-22 | 1.24 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.53 | 21–33 in 2022-08-22 | 5.01 lb |
| Bluegill | 3.20 | 3–9 in 2022-08-22 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.62 | 4–13 in 2022-08-22 | 0.67 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Bluegill
From the 2022-08-22 survey
Mukooda Lake is a 774 acre lake located within Voyageurs National Park. The lake is accessed from Sand Point Lake, where the National Park Service maintains a dock at the beginning of the short portage into Mukooda Lake. This isolated lake can also be accessed via snowmobile trails in the winter. The National Park…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mukooda Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MukoodaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
78 ft
Average depth
39.9 ft
Surface area
774 acres
Shoreline
5.4 mi
Littoral zone
20%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,122 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mukooda Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Mukooda Lake in St. Louis 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 Mukooda Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Mukooda Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mukooda Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+3.28 µg/L/yr4 years
EPA Impairment Status
Mukooda Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0684-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Mukooda Lake
Where is Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 773.76 acres.
Is Mukooda Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Mukooda Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in September, from 651 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake has a maximum depth of 78 feet and an average depth of 39.9 feet. The lake covers 773.76 acres.
What fish are in Mukooda Lake?
- Fish species found in Mukooda Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake trout, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Mukooda Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mukooda Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 22, 2022 caught 1.20 walleye per gill net at Mukooda Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mukooda Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Mukooda Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Mukooda Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at Mukooda Lake?
- Public access to Mukooda 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 Mukooda Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Mukooda Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX20 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
- Alkaline Persulfate Digestion for Total N and P in Water
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder