Pokegama Lake
Pokegama Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 112 ft. Surface area: 6721.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.5 ft
- Max depth
- 112 ft
- Area
- 6,721 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
Next lake in Itasca County
Why Pokegama 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 Pokegama Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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.
Pokegama Lake is a 6,721-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 112 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-07-22. 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 Pokegama Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pokegama Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pokegama Lake in Itasca 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 112 ft |
| Surface Area | 6,721 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 57.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 29% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Golf Course RoadPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pokegama Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
22 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 20.68 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.54 | 0.21 lb |
| CNM | 6.66 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.64 | 0.83 lb |
| RBS | 4.91 | 0.04 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 4.68 | 1.39 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
RBS
From the 2024-06-17 survey
Pokegama Lake is in ecological lake class 22 and is located just southwest of Grand Rapids, MN, in the Mississippi River Watershed. The lake is 6,721 acres and has a maximum depth of 112 feet. Area Fisheries staff conducted a targeted survey setting 15 trap nets on 16 June, 2024 and began nearshore fish species…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pokegama Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PokegamaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pokegama (0554)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pokegama (0556)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PokegamaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PokegamaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.159 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.15 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.26 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (70 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-27 (2012) | 2013-05-17 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2017-12-07 (2017) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-06
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pokegama Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pokegama Dam - Dikes 4 and 5 (completed 1884), built primarily for recreation on the MISSISSIPPI; concrete-type dam, 17 ft tall and 385 ft long.
- Surface area
- 13,000 ac
- Normal storage
- 82,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 120,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 660 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- USACE - St. Paul District
All listed purposes: Recreation;Navigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Water Supply;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00584 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pokegama 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 MN31-0532-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.53 km)
Graded lakes near Pokegama Lake
Pokegama Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Pokegama Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pokegama Lake?
- Pokegama Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 112 ft. Surface area: 6721.3 acres.
Is Pokegama Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pokegama Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Pokegama Lake?
- Pokegama Lake has a maximum depth of 112 feet. The lake covers 6721.3 acres.
What fish are in Pokegama Lake?
- Fish species found in Pokegama Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow smelt, rock bass, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pokegama Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Pokegama Lake thaw?
- Pokegama Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27.
Are there boat ramps on Pokegama Lake?
- Pokegama Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Golf Course Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pokegama Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS4 samples · 2021
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