Pleasant Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota335 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pleasant Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Pleasant Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 334.62 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 7, 2021 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake. DNR survey details →
Pleasant Lake is a 335-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Pleasant Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pleasant Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 25
- Deep water33 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pleasant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pleasant Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Pleasant Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pleasant Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 10 ft. Phosphorus 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.4 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pleasant Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pleasant Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 29 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pleasant Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (235,505 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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 7, 2021 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pleasant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-07 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 18.54 | 3–7 in 2021-06-07 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.25 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 5.58 | 6–18 in 2021-06-07 | 1.06 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.76 | 2–9 in 2021-06-07 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.00 | 4–8 in 2021-06-07 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.96 | 12–31 in 2021-06-07 | 3.03 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2021-06-07 survey
Pleasant Lake is a 335 acre lake located four miles south of Eveleth. The lake has one access which is a concrete ramp off the Pleasant Grove Road. It has a maximum depth of 33 feet and brownish green colored water at the time of this survey. On June 7, 2021 Pleasant Lake was thermally stratified with a surface…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pleasant Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PleasantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pleasant (1778)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PleasantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Surface area
335 acres
Shoreline
5.8 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,335 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pleasant LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pleasant Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pleasant 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 Pleasant Lake
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Follow Pleasant Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pleasant Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 25
Earliest Apr 14, 2015 · Latest May 6, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 14
Earliest Nov 9, 2019 · Latest Nov 21, 2007
Most recent ice-out
May 6
2022
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Pleasant Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0655-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Pleasant Lake
Where is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 334.62 acres.
Is Pleasant Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pleasant Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in July, from 29 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake covers 334.62 acres.
What fish are in Pleasant Lake?
- Fish species found in Pleasant Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Pleasant Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pleasant Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 7, 2021 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Pleasant Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pleasant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Pleasant Lake thaw?
- Pleasant Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 14. The open water season is approximately 203 days.
Does Pleasant Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pleasant Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (235,505 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pleasant Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pleasant Lake?
- Pleasant Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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