North Twin Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota239 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for North Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Salinity / chlorides
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
North Twin Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 238.76 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2008 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at North Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
North Twin Lake is a 239-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What North Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water42 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Twin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether North Twin 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 Twin Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for North Twin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading 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. | 40 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about North Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
North Twin Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in Jun (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 48 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Twin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2008 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at North Twin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-08-11 (Standard Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2008-08-11 (Standard Survey)
18 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 9.96 | 3–8 in 2008-08-11 | 0.16 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.20 | 3–16 in 2008-08-11 | 0.84 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.91 | 5–10 in 2008-08-11 | 0.24 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 5.19 | 7–18 in 1999-08-10 | 0.69 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.42 | 14–36 in 2008-08-11 | 2.02 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 1.74 | 8–13 in 2008-08-11 | 0.82 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2008-08-11 survey
North Twin Lake is a small, relatively clear lake in central Itasca County near Marble, Minnesota. The lakeshore has moderate levels of municipal and residential development. North Twin supports a relatively diverse aquatic plant community. Unfortunately, three exotic, invasive plants are present. Exotic aquatic…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Twin 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 TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — North Twin (0586)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — North Twin (2074)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
239 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
31%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Twin LakesPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
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Stays near North Twin Lake
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Fishing North Twin 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
EPA Impairment Status
North Twin 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: Cultural.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0190-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of North Twin Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Marble WwtpMarble · 1.3 mi away · NPDES MN0020214Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about North Twin Lake
Where is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake is a lake in Itasca 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 Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 238.76 acres.
Is North Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Twin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 48 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 238.76 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Twin Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2008 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at North Twin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Twin Lakes. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at North Twin Lake?
- North Twin 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.
Explore North Twin Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
68 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
MNPCA68 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory