Pine Lake
Pine Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 1236.17 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 15 ft
- Area
- 1,236 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 21
Next lake in Clearwater County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pine Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Pine Lake is a 1,236-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (9-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Pine Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-09. 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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pine Lake in Clearwater 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
Pine Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 73°F) and coldest in Sep (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2018–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 15 ft |
| Average Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,236 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 11.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pine Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pine Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-26 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BLH | 81.77 | 0.29 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 27.95 | 0.23 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.47 | 0.25 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.27 | 1.28 lb |
| Bluegill | 6.08 | 0.38 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 4.28 | 0.52 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.
BLH
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2023-06-26 survey
Pine Lake is a 1,236 acre lake located three miles south of the town of Gonvick in Clearwater County. Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and is managed as a periodic winterkill Lake. Since 1994, the operation of an aeration system has reduced the frequency and extent of winterkill events, although partial kills…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pine Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pine (1715)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.079 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.91 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.26 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-04 (2017) | 2018-04-30 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-09 (2018) | 2015-11-21 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-27
EPA Impairment Status
Pine Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN15-0149-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Pine Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Gonvick WwtpGonvick · 2.8 mi away · NPDES MN0020541
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 #7 of 37 lakes in Clearwater County
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Pine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 1236.17 acres.
Is Pine Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pine Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 1236.17 acres.
What fish are in Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Pine Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pine Lake is located in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
When does Pine Lake thaw?
- Pine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 21.
Are there boat ramps on Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pine Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pine Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
88 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA88 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate