Round Lake
Round Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 2860.19 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 2,860 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Round Lake →
Next lake in Itasca County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Round Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Round Lake is a 2,860-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Round Lake ranks #72 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Murky, only visible to about 4.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 31.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 62.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 67 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 31.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 62 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Round Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Round 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Round Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Round Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Round Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 60 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Round Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Round Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (151,356 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,860 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 69% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Round Lake (North)Public
- Natures LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Round Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
24 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 202.14 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 26.83 | 0.33 lb |
| White Sucker | 22.04 | 2.14 lb |
| BNS | 10.70 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 10.36 | 0.55 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 8.44 | 0.94 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
White Sucker
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
From the 2024-06-24 survey
Round Lake is located on the west side of Squaw Lake, MN. Round Lake has two public accesses and moderate shoreline development. Other area lakes with similar habitat having quality Walleye fisheries include Island, Moose, Jessie, and Split Hand. The 2020 lake management plan identifies Walleye as the primary species…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Round Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RoundFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Round (0694)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RoundPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.13 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +3.84 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-07 (2005) | 2007-04-26 (2007) |
| Ice-In | 2006-10-31 (2006) | 2003-11-06 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2007-04-26
County Ranking
Ranked #72 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Round Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Round Lake
What is the water quality grade for Round Lake?
- Round Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 4.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 67 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 31.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 2860.19 acres.
Is Round Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Round Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 31.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Round Lake?
- Round Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 60 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Round Lake?
- Round Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 2860.19 acres.
What fish are in Round Lake?
- Fish species found in Round Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Round Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Round Lake thaw?
- Round Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17.
Does Round Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Round Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (151,356 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Round Lake?
- Round Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Round Lake (North), Natures Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Round Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
54 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
MNPCA54 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 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