Peary Lake
Peary Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 116.12 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 116 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in St. Louis County
Peary Lake is a 116-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, green sunfish, and northern pike. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Peary Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-08-21. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 20.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Peary Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Peary Lake in St. Louis 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.
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Water Temperature
Peary Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Jun (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 192 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Peary Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Average Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 116 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| 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 Peary Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| LES | 72.53 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 29.59 | 0.02 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 20.34 | 0.05 lb |
| GOS | 18.17 | 0.01 lb |
| BNS | 8.87 | — |
| Northern Pike | 8.62 | 1.79 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.
LES
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Perch
GOS
From the 2025-07-14 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Peary Lake, was conducted on July 14 -July 18, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Peary Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PearyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.115 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.88 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Peary 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 MN69-0833-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #29 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Peary Lake
What is the water quality grade for Peary Lake?
- Peary Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 116.12 acres.
Is Peary Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Peary Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Peary Lake?
- Peary Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 192 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Peary Lake?
- Peary Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 116.12 acres.
What fish are in Peary Lake?
- Fish species found in Peary Lake include black crappie, green sunfish, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, white sucker, yellow perch. Peary Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
27 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX27 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
- Alkaline Persulfate Digestion for Total N and P in Water
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