Placid Lake
Placid Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 183.44 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 39 ft
- Area
- 183 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 228 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Placid Lake is a 183-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 39 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Placid Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-02. 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 17 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 39.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 39 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Placid Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Placid Lake in Crow Wing 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
Placid Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Placid Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 39 ft |
| Surface Area | 183 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 73% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Placid Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1988-06-13 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 79.64 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 40.00 | 0.31 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 27.50 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.73 | 0.3 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.42 | 1.49 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.28 | 0.16 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1988-06-13 survey
Northern pike and bluegill net catches indicated above average populations. These species catch rates exceed the third quartile of the Brainerd Area median for group 1 lakes that are less than 230 acres with a total alkalinity of less than 47.6. Yellow bullhead, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed and black crappie exhibited…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Placid Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PlacidFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Placid (0049)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.078 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.34 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.24 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
Estimated open water season: 228 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-07 (2007) | 2022-05-01 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2022-12-01 (2022) | 2004-12-15 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-08
County Ranking
Ranked #36 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Placid Lake
What is the water quality grade for Placid Lake?
- Placid Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 39 ft. Surface area: 183.44 acres.
Is Placid Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Placid Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Placid Lake?
- Placid Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Placid Lake?
- Placid Lake has a maximum depth of 39 feet. The lake covers 183.44 acres.
When does Placid Lake thaw?
- Placid Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Explore Placid Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
134 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
MNPCA134 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate