Parent Lake
Parent Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 450.97 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in July
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 451 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Why Parent 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 Parent 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.
Parent Lake is a 451-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including cisco species, northern pike, and northern pike (silver phase). No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 Parent Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Parent Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Parent Lake in Lake 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 Parent Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Parent Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 58°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 58°F) and coldest in May (about 41°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 55 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Parent Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 451 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 20% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Parent Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| CIS | 16.33 | 0.23 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 11.12 | 0.2 lb |
| White Sucker | 5.00 | 2.89 lb |
| Rock Bass | 4.35 | 0.19 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 1.98 | 1.03 lb |
| Walleye | 1.14 | 5.18 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.
CIS
Tullibee (Cisco)
White Sucker
Rock Bass
From the 2025-07-30 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Parent Lake on July 30th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Parent Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ParentFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ParentFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.077 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Parent 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 MN38-0526-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Parent Lake
Parent Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Parent Lake
What is the water quality grade for Parent Lake?
- Parent Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 450.97 acres.
Is Parent Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Parent Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Parent Lake?
- Parent Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in July, from 55 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Parent Lake?
- Parent Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 450.97 acres.
What fish are in Parent Lake?
- Fish species found in Parent Lake include cisco species, northern pike, northern pike (silver phase), rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Parent Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
Explore Parent Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
2 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA2 samples · 2021–2025
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