North Star Lake
North Star Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 90 ft. Surface area: 831.62 acres.
- Clarity
- 19 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 90 ft
- Area
- 832 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Free interactive depth-contour map of North Star Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
North Star Lake is a 832-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 90 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, North Star Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-04. 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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 19 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near North Star Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Star Lake in Itasca 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 North Star Lake
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Water Temperature
North Star Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 60°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 62°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 145 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Star Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Star Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (50,119 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
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 | 90 ft |
| Surface Area | 832 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- North Star LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Star Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
25 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 34.94 | — |
| Bluegill | 10.26 | 0.12 lb |
| CNM | 10.22 | — |
| Muskellunge | 9.93 | 8.47 lb |
| IOD | 8.33 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 7.06 | 0.14 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.
Bluegill
Muskellunge
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-05-08 survey
North Star Lake was stocked with Leech Lake strain Muskie fingerlings in 1989, 1991 and 1994 to establish a population. Natural reproduction was documented in spring surveys, fall electrofishing, and angler reports of small fish by the mid-2000s. Spring, night electrofishing to capture juvenile Muskie was conducted…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Star Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — North StarFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — North Star (0738)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — North StarFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North StarPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.153 m/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
North Star 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 MN31-0653-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about North Star Lake
What is the water quality grade for North Star Lake?
- North Star Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 90 ft. Surface area: 831.62 acres.
Is North Star Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. North Star Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of North Star Lake?
- North Star Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 145 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Star Lake?
- North Star Lake has a maximum depth of 90 feet. The lake covers 831.62 acres.
What fish are in North Star Lake?
- Fish species found in North Star Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. North Star Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Does North Star Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Star Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (50,119 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on North Star Lake?
- North Star Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Star Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore North Star Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
64 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA64 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory