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LakeQuality

Niki Lake

NR
Not yet rated
7.7 ft clear · Mesotrophic
Limited DataMesotrophic

Niki Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility.

Clarity
7.7 ft
Max depth
~49 ft est.
Trend
Declining

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NRChippewa Lake6.5 ft clear · Lake CountyView →
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Why Niki 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 Niki 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.

Niki Lake is a lake in Lake County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-07-11. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

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Water quality measurements for Niki Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.7 ft. Trophic State Index: 48.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)7.7 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)48Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Niki Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Niki 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 Niki 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 →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth~49 ft est.
Average Depth~16 ft est.

Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Niki Lake.

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Surface area
47 acres
Shoreline
1.2 mi
Elevation
1,280 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.

Fishing Niki Lake

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.211 m/yr3

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Niki Lake

What is the water quality grade for Niki Lake?

Niki Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.7 ft visibility.

Is Niki Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Niki 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 Niki Lake?

No published bathymetric survey covers Niki Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 49 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.

Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Where this data comes from

1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA1 sample · 2021

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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder