Page Lake
Page Lake in Stevens County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 375.43 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 375 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Page Lake →
Next lake in Stevens County
Page Lake is a 375-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Stevens County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet (12-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Stevens County, Page Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 18.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 106 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 18.2 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Page Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Page Lake in Stevens 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Page Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Page Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Page Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 46 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Page Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Average Depth | 12 ft |
| Surface Area | 375 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 45% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Page LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Page Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 45.70 | 0.29 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 39.06 | 0.73 lb |
| SUN | 22.83 | — |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.09 | 0.43 lb |
| Walleye | 7.00 | 1.81 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.06 | 0.51 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Walleye
Black Crappie
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Page Lake is a 375-acre shallow and fertile prairie lake located one mile north of Hancock in southeast Stevens County. Maximum depth of the natural basin is 17.0 feet. Average depth is estimated at 12.0 feet. The lake has a small watershed area and thus surface water elevations are strongly influenced by volume of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Page Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PageFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PageFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PagePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Page 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 MN75-0019-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Page Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Hancock WwtfHancock · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0023582
- Riverview Llp - Moore CalvesHancock · 3.4 mi away · NPDES MN0071773
- Morris WwtpMorris · 4.8 mi away · NPDES MN0021318
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 2 lakes in Stevens County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Page Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Stevens County
Frequently asked questions about Page Lake
What is the water quality grade for Page Lake?
- Page Lake in Stevens County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 106 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 375.43 acres.
Is Page Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Page Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 18.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Page Lake?
- Page Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 46 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Page Lake?
- Page Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 375.43 acres.
What fish are in Page Lake?
- Fish species found in Page Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Page Lake is located in Stevens County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Page Lake?
- Page Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Page Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Page Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stevens County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Page Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA16 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory