Mukooda Lake
Mukooda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 773.76 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 55°F
- Max depth
- 78 ft
- Area
- 774 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Mukooda Lake is a 774-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 78 feet (40-foot average). Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.6 ft down. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
Mukooda Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 78 ft |
| Average Depth | 39.9 ft |
| Surface Area | 774 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 20% |
| 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 Mukooda Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 27.84 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.98 | 1.24 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.53 | 5.01 lb |
| Bluegill | 3.20 | 0.13 lb |
| LES | 2.92 | 0.29 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.62 | 0.67 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)
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
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.126 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.28 µg/L/yr | 4 |
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0684-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Mukooda Lake
What is the water quality grade for Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Mukooda Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Mukooda Lake?
- Mukooda Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Mukooda Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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