North Twin Lake
Mahnomen County, Minnesota966 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for North Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 16 ft max depth
- Limited data
North Twin Lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 965.96 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 14, 2024 caught 27.28 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at North Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of North Twin Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 15 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
North Twin Lake is a 966-acre mesotrophic lake in Mahnomen County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Mahnomen County, North Twin Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
North Twin Lake covers about 970 acres in Mahnomen County. The median ice-out date is April 13, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near North Twin Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What North Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 13
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. 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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.9 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | 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) | 5.9µg/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 North Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Twin Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (7,656 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 14, 2024 caught 27.28 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing 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. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-14 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-14 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 36.56 | 7–12 in 2024-08-12 | 0.48 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 16.17 | 4–10 in 2024-08-12 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.79 | 2–10 in 2024-08-12 | 0.24 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.29 |
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2024-08-14 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in North Twin Lake was conducted August 19th - 21st, 2024, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. Data was collected from 14 sampling stations evenly spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, 6 were sampled with a 50-foot seine and 1…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Twin Lake. 2 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
- —Fish Stocking History — North TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
966 acres
Shoreline
5.7 mi
Littoral zone
93%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
45 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,430 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near North Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Twin Lake in Mahnomen 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 Twin Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
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.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 13
Earliest Apr 1, 2016 · Latest Apr 16, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Apr 1
2016
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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.
- Naytahwaush WwslWhite Earth · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0064165Recent 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 Mahnomen County
Frequently asked questions about North Twin Lake
Where is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake is a lake in Mahnomen 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 Mahnomen County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 965.96 acres.
Is North Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 965.96 acres.
What fish are in North Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in North Twin Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. North Twin Lake is located in Mahnomen County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Twin Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 14, 2024 caught 27.28 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing 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. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does North Twin Lake thaw?
- North Twin Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Does North Twin Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Twin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (7,656 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at North Twin Lake?
- Public access to North Twin 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.
Explore North Twin Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX28 samples · 2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate