North Branch Kawishi Lake
Lake County, Minnesota182 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for North Branch Kawishi Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 13 ft max depth
- Limited data
North Branch Kawishi Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 181.77 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 2023 caught 26.75 walleye per gill net at North Branch Kawishi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–24 inches. DNR survey details →
North Branch Kawishi Lake is a 182-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 13 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, northern pike, and rock bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What North Branch Kawishi Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing7 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Branch Kawishi Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether North Branch Kawishi 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 North Branch Kawishi Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for North Branch Kawishi Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.2 ft. Phosphorus 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 14µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/L | Measured, not scored 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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about North Branch Kawishi Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 2023 caught 26.75 walleye per gill net at North Branch Kawishi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–24 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Branch Kawishi Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-14 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-14 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 10.32 | 21–30 in 2023-07-14 | 2.85 lb |
| Walleye | 8.01 | 8–24 in 2023-07-14 | 3.66 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.78 | 20 in 2023-07-14 | 2.97 lb |
| Bluegill | 2.00 | 3–4 in 2023-07-14 | 0.38 lb |
| Rock Bass | 0.81 | 3–5 in 2023-07-14 | 0.17 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 0.62 | 13–16 in 2023-07-14 | 2.11 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.
Northern Pike
Walleye
White Sucker
Bluegill
From the 2023-07-14 survey
Pickerel is a 182-acre lake located nine miles east of Ely down the Glipi forest road off the Fernberg Trail. It is a shallow, relatively productive walleye lake similar to Everett, Perch, and Western in the Tower area. The access is carry-in and best suited to canoes and kayaks. A boat with portage wheels is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Branch Kawishi Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PickerelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
13 ft
Surface area
182 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Branch Kawishi Lake
- → North Branch Kawishi Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → North Branch Kawishi Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → North Branch Kawishi Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from North Branch Kawishi Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 4 years of monitoring (2022–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
EPA Impairment Status
North Branch Kawishi Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0738-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about North Branch Kawishi Lake
Where is North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- North Branch Kawishi 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 North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- North Branch Kawishi Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 181.77 acres.
Is North Branch Kawishi Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Branch Kawishi Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- North Branch Kawishi Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 181.77 acres.
What fish are in North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- Fish species found in North Branch Kawishi Lake include bluegill, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. North Branch Kawishi Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 14, 2023 caught 26.75 walleye per gill net at North Branch Kawishi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–24 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Branch Kawishi Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at North Branch Kawishi Lake?
- Public access to North Branch Kawishi 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.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2022
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder