Ninemile Lake
Lake County, Minnesota297 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Ninemile Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 40 ft max depth
- Public access
Ninemile Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 296.75 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2019 caught 8.50 walleye per gill net at Ninemile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches. DNR survey details →
Ninemile Lake is a 297-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Ninemile Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Ninemile Lake covers about 300 acres in Lake County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Ninemile Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Ninemile Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water40 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Ninemile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ninemile 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 Ninemile Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Ninemile Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.8 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.6ft | 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) | 3.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Ninemile Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ninemile Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 106 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ninemile Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2019 caught 8.50 walleye per gill net at Ninemile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ninemile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2019-08-07 (Targeted Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2019-08-07 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 24.00 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 13.36 | 1–11 in 2019-07-22 | 0.22 lb |
| White Sucker | 8.38 | 7–22 in 2019-07-22 | 1.89 lb |
| Walleye | 6.37 | 3–24 in 2019-07-22 | 1.46 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.67 | 4–29 in 2019-07-22 | 1.71 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.
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Walleye
Northern Pike
From the 2019-08-07 survey
A survey was completed in August 2019 to monitor the zooplankton community in Ninemile Lake. Samples were analyzed to provide baseline information on the zooplankton community composition and abundance and to determine if any aquatic invasive species have become established in the lake. Ninemile Lake was selected for…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ninemile Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — NinemileFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ninemile (0760)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — NinemileFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — NinemilePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
40 ft
Surface area
297 acres
Shoreline
5.3 mi
Littoral zone
97%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,604 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ninemile LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Ninemile Lake
- Ninemile Lake Campground0.7 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ninemile Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ninemile 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 Ninemile 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 Ninemile Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ninemile Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2022–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Stable3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.11 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.91 µg/L/yr3 years
EPA Impairment Status
Ninemile 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 MN38-0033-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Ninemile Lake
Where is Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake is a lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 296.75 acres.
Is Ninemile Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Ninemile 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 Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 106 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 296.75 acres.
What fish are in Ninemile Lake?
- Fish species found in Ninemile Lake include bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Ninemile Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Ninemile Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2019 caught 8.50 walleye per gill net at Ninemile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 3–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ninemile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ninemile Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Are there campgrounds on Ninemile Lake?
- Ninemile Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Ninemile Lake Campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Ninemile Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
2 documented falls within 9.8 mi, nearest Caribou Falls
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Ninemile Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
41 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA41 samples · 2022–2025
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
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles