Pequaywan Lake
Pequaywan Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 424.51 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 65°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 425 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 30
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Pequaywan 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 Pequaywan 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.
Pequaywan Lake is a 425-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (15-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-12. 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 Pequaywan Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pequaywan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pequaywan 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
Pequaywan Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2018–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pequaywan Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Average Depth | 15.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 425 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Loaine LakePublic
Fishing Pequaywan Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1991-08-08 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 15.38 | 0.23 lb |
| Rock Bass | 8.88 | 0.27 lb |
| Walleye | 8.27 | 0.9 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.24 | 1.69 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.73 | 2.52 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.71 | 0.08 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1991-08-08 survey
WAE AND YEP ABUNDANCE ARE ABOVE THIRD QUARTILE FOR SCHUPP LAKE CLASS 10 ALTHOUGH WITHIN THE RANGE OF HISTORIC DATA. BOTH SPECIES ARE WELL REPRESENTED IN AGES I THRU VI WITH GROWTH TYPICAL FOR DULUTH AREA LAKES. RKB ABUNDANCE IN TRAPNETS IS WELL ABOVE THE 3RD QUARTILE AND OVER TWICE THE PREVIOUS (1978) HIGH AND…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pequaywan Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PequaywanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pequaywan (0501)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.566 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-26 (2007) | 2022-05-08 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-10 (2017) | 2007-11-23 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-08
EPA Impairment Status
Pequaywan 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 MN69-0011-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Pequaywan Lake
Pequaywan Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Pequaywan Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pequaywan Lake?
- Pequaywan Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 424.51 acres.
Is Pequaywan Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pequaywan 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 Pequaywan Lake?
- Pequaywan Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in August, from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pequaywan Lake?
- Pequaywan Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 15.1 feet. The lake covers 424.51 acres.
When does Pequaywan Lake thaw?
- Pequaywan Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 30.
Are there boat ramps on Pequaywan Lake?
- Pequaywan Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Loaine Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pequaywan Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2020–2024
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate