Roosevelt Lake
Cass County, Minnesota1,511 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Roosevelt Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 129 ft max depth
- Public access
Roosevelt Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 129 ft. Surface area: 1510.58 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Roosevelt Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Roosevelt Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 120 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Roosevelt Lake is a 1,511-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 129 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Roosevelt Lake ranks #30 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Roosevelt Lake covers about 1,500 acres in Cass County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 19, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Roosevelt Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Roosevelt Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water129 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,511 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Roosevelt Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Roosevelt 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 11.1 ft. Phosphorus 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.6 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.1ft | 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) | 3.6µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Roosevelt Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Roosevelt Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Roosevelt Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Roosevelt Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (97,275 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
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 July 8, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Roosevelt Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Roosevelt Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 91.05 | ||
| Bluegill | 39.49 | 2–7 in 2024-07-08 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 19.60 | 4–8 in 2024-07-08 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.64 | 6–17 in 2024-07-08 | 0.82 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 14.56 | 7–11 in 2024-07-08 | 0.34 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
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2024-07-08 survey
Roosevelt is a 1,511 acre lake located in the town of Outing in Cass County. It has a maximum depth of 129 feet and 25% of the lake is 15 feet deep or less. On the east side of the lake is a DNR access one mile south of Outing on the west side of Minnesota Highway 6. Muskellunge are the primary managed species on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Roosevelt Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RooseveltFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Roosevelt (1487)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RooseveltFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RooseveltPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
129 ft
Surface area
1,511 acres
Shoreline
18.6 mi
Littoral zone
26%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
50 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,266 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Roosevelt 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 Roosevelt Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Roosevelt Lake in Cass 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 Roosevelt Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Roosevelt 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.39 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.15 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Apr 6, 2021 · Latest May 7, 2022
Typical ice-in
Dec 10
Earliest Nov 28, 2018 · Latest Dec 21, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Apr 16
2025
41 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Roosevelt Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Roosevelt Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Crooked Creek; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 41 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,510 ac
- Normal storage
- 67,360 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 72,412 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 40 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00051 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Roosevelt Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0043-02 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Roosevelt Lake
Where is Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 129 ft. Surface area: 1510.58 acres.
Is Roosevelt Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Roosevelt Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt Lake has a maximum depth of 129 feet. The lake covers 1510.58 acres.
What fish are in Roosevelt Lake?
- Fish species found in Roosevelt Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Roosevelt Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Roosevelt Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 8, 2024 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Roosevelt Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Roosevelt Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Roosevelt Lake thaw?
- Roosevelt Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Dec 10. The open water season is approximately 235 days.
Does Roosevelt Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Roosevelt Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (97,275 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Roosevelt Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Roosevelt Lake?
- Roosevelt 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.
Explore Roosevelt Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
367 measurements from 6 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA367 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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