Nibin Lake
Nibin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 775.93 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 776 acres
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Nibin 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 Nibin Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Nibin Lake is a 776-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including northern pike, tullibee (cisco), and walleye. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-08-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Nibin Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Trophic State Index: 52.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 52 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Nibin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nibin 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 776 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 11.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 30% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Nibin Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 8.27 | 2.58 lb |
| Walleye | 5.28 | 0.9 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.69 | 0.43 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 1.67 | 0.1 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.18 | 2.99 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 0.87 | 0.47 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.
White Sucker
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2025-08-18 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Stuart Lake on August 18th, 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 Nibin Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StuartFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StuartFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Nibin 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 MN69-0205-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.12 km)
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Nibin Lake
What is the water quality grade for Nibin Lake?
- Nibin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 775.93 acres.
Is Nibin Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Nibin 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 Nibin Lake?
- Nibin Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 775.93 acres.
What fish are in Nibin Lake?
- Fish species found in Nibin Lake include northern pike, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Nibin Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder