Owl Lake
Owl Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 76.82 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Max depth
- 70 ft
- Area
- 77 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Cook County
Why Owl Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Owl Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Owl Lake is a 77-acre lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 70 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-07-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Owl Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Owl Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Owl Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Owl Lake in Cook 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 Owl Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft |
| Surface Area | 77 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Owl Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 12.84 | 1.27 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.38 | 0.09 lb |
| BUB | 1.00 | 1.8 lb |
| Lake Trout | 0.34 | 6.82 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.
White Sucker
Yellow Perch
Lake Trout
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen measurements were collected in the deepest basin in Owl Lake on August 5, 2024, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Lake Trout…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Owl Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OwlFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.76 m/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Owl Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN16-0723-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.55 km)
Graded lakes near Owl Lake
Owl Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Owl Lake
What is the water quality grade for Owl Lake?
- Owl Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 76.82 acres.
Is Owl Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Owl Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Owl Lake?
- Owl Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet. The lake covers 76.82 acres.
Explore Owl Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement 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
MNPCA1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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