Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 11546.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 7.5 ft
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 11,546 acres
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
Next lake in St. Louis County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pelican Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Pelican 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 Pelican Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. 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.
Pelican Lake is a 11,546-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. 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 Pelican Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Pelican 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Pelican Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (25,823 cells/mL) on November 15, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 11,546 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 55.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 51% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pelican Lake (West)Public
- County Road 516Public
- County Road 515Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pelican Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Smallmouth Bass | 13.79 | 1.38 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 12.44 | 0.74 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.24 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.43 | 0.89 lb |
| Bluegill | 7.45 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.94 | 0.24 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.
Smallmouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-06-06 survey
Pelican is a 11,546-acre, class 7 lake located west of Highway 53 at Orr, MN. Slightly over half (54%) of the lake is littoral area. Centrarchids, Northern Pike, and Yellow Perch dominate the sport-fish community. Special regulations protecting Northern Pike (24 to 38 inches) and Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass (14 to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pelican Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PelicanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pelican (1907)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PelicanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PelicanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (38 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2010-04-02 (2010) | 2013-05-16 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2006-11-11 (2006) | 2007-11-22 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-10
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pelican Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pelican Lake (completed 2002), built primarily for recreation on the Pelican River; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 80 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,050 ac
- Normal storage
- 197,010 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 240,790 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 69.4 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- County of St. Louis - Hwy
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00097 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pelican 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 MN69-0841-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Pelican Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Orr WwtpOrr · 4.2 mi away · NPDES MN0024422Recent violation
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.
Graded lakes near Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 11546.3 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pelican 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 Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 11546.3 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Pelican Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Pelican Lake thaw?
- Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26.
Does Pelican Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (25,823 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pelican Lake (West), County Road 516, County Road 515. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
201 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA201 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate