Pine Lake
Pine Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 177.68 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 59 ft
- Area
- 178 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 232 days
Next lake in Morrison County
Pine Lake is a 178-acre mesotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 59 feet (17-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Morrison County, Pine Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pine Lake in Morrison 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 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 13 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft |
| Average Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 178 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 52% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pine LakePublic
- Mound LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pine Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 30.81 | 0.39 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.67 | 0.97 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.60 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 9.96 | 0.52 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.42 | 0.15 lb |
| BCS | 6.29 | — |
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.
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-06-27 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Pine Lake, was conducted on June 26th, 2025, by Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pine Lake. 3 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 (1925)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.029 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
Estimated open water season: 232 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2022-05-01 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2023-11-28 (2023) | 2017-12-11 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-12
EPA Impairment Status
Pine 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 MN49-0140-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.44 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 8 lakes in Morrison County
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Pine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 177.68 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 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 13 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 59 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 177.68 acres.
What fish are in Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Pine Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pine Lake is located in Morrison County, Minnesota.
When does Pine Lake thaw?
- Pine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 232 days.
Are there boat ramps on Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pine Lake, Mound Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pine Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Morrison County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Pine Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
77 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
MNPCA77 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
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