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Round Island Lake

C
Grade C — Fair
Fair · #35 of 35 lakes in the county · Eutrophic · 55 acres
Limited DataEutrophic

Round Island Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Maximum depth: 4 ft. Surface area: 54.82 acres.

Max depth
4 ft
Area
55 acres
Type
Eutrophic
Trend
Improving
Public access
No

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Round Island Lake is a 55-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 4 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Round Island Lake ranks #35 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Ely

Get alerts for Round Island Lake

Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)

No clarity data. Phosphorus level: 34 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)No recent samples
Phosphorus34 µg/LFair
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)55Eutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Where to stay near Round Island Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Round Island Lake in Lake 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 Round Island Lake

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth4 ft
Surface Area55 acres
Shoreline Length1.6 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
Elevation
1,939 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fishing Round Island Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1983-06-27 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Yellow Perch17.250.14 lb
White Sucker2.500.63 lb
Walleye0.250.1 lb
Northern Pike0.251.5 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

From the 1983-06-27 survey

The fish population is dominated by Yellow Perch, various minnows and White Sucker. Two Northern Pike and one Walleye were sampled. The Walleye is most likely a migrant from Delay Lake.

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Round Island Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.06 m/yr6
Phosphorus Improving-10 µg/L/yr3
See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Round Island Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0415-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.75 km)

County Ranking

Ranked #35 of 35 lakes in Lake County

Nearby Lakes in Lake County

Frequently asked questions about Round Island Lake

What is the water quality grade for Round Island Lake?

Round Island Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Phosphorus: 34 µg/L. Maximum depth: 4 ft. Surface area: 54.82 acres.

Is Round Island Lake safe to swim in?

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Round Island Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Round Island Lake?

Round Island Lake has a maximum depth of 4 feet. The lake covers 54.82 acres.

Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Where this data comes from

6 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA6 samples · 2023–2025

Analytical methods

  • Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • Turbidity by Nephelometry
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

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder