Ross Lake
Ross Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 491.76 acres.
- Clarity
- 3.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 492 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Ross Lake is a 492-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Ross Lake ranks #80 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 3.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 56.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 30 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 56 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Ross Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ross 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
Ross Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ross Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 492 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 64% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ross LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ross Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 18.62 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.38 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.92 | 1.09 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.17 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.44 | 0.78 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.93 | 3.22 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-08-06 survey
Ross Lake is a 487 acre lake located in northeast Crow Wing County. A public access is located off the northeast corner of the lake. Ross has bog stained water, with a secchi disk reading of 4.0'. Much of the lakeshore is undeveloped and provides critical areas for fish spawning as well as providing habitat for fish…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ross Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RossFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ross (0398)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RossPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.101 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (34 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-23 (2012) | 1996-05-01 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-15 (2014) | 2007-12-01 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-09
County Ranking
Ranked #80 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Ross Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 30 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 491.76 acres.
Is Ross Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Ross Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 491.76 acres.
What fish are in Ross Lake?
- Fish species found in Ross Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ross Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Ross Lake thaw?
- Ross Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ross Lake?
- Ross Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ross Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ross Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
64 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA64 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate