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LakeQuality
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Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River

Mille Lacs County, MinnesotaOligotrophic

On the LakeGrade rubric, Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River pulls an A: clarity readings still being added and 25 µg/L of phosphorus put it in the top bracket for Minnesota. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

Trophically, Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. At only 10 ft deep, Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River is shallow — wind keeps the water column mixed and sediment resuspension drives phosphorus levels harder to manage. At 1,044 acres, Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River is one of the larger lakes in Mille Lacs County, with 17.8 miles of shoreline supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Within Mille Lacs County's 11 graded lakes, Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River ranks 7 — below the local median, though not at the bottom.

Zebra mussels have been documented at Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River, which alters the filter-feeding balance and can paradoxically increase water clarity while disrupting the food web. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. No formal public access is documented at Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae

Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 25 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 0.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No data
Phosphorus25 µg/LB
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)0.6 µg/LA
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth10 ft
Surface Area1.0K acres
Shoreline Length17.8 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessNo

Invasive Species

zebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Chlorophyll-a Improving-0.3 µg/L/yr2

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 4
EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2015-03-30 (2015)2019-04-20 (2019)

Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-05

Location

Loading map…

County Ranking

Ranked #7 of 11 lakes in Mille Lacs County

Nearby Lakes in Mille Lacs County

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-06-13 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Yellow Perch5.410.26 lb
Black Bullhead5.220.38 lb
Yellow Bass3.880.53 lb
Northern Pike3.580.9 lb
Pumpkinseed2.870.1 lb
White Sucker2.681.81 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

From the 1989-06-13 survey

FISH POPULATION IS MOSTLY ROUGHFISH: SUCKERS, CARP BOWFIN AND BULLHEADS WHICH ARE ALL ABOVE THEIR STATE MEDIANS. NORTHERN PIKE ARE JUST ABOVE THE AVERAGE BUT ARE SMALL IN SIZE. THE WALLEYE POPULA- TION IS LOW AND YELLOW PERCH ARE AT HALF OF THE STATE AVERAGE IN NUMBER. SOME BLUEGILLS WERE CAUGHT IN THE NATURAL…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Outlet of Onamia Lake on the Rum River. 2 reports on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2024-10-08

Monitoring stations: 1