Shagawa Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota2,345 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Shagawa Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- spiny waterflea
- 48 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shagawa Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 2344.5 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 7.11 walleye per gill net at Shagawa Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Shagawa Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Shagawa Lake is a 2,345-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 48 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Shagawa Lake covers about 2,300 acres in St. Louis County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 28, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Shagawa Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Shagawa Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 28
- Deep water48 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,345 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shagawa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shagawa 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 Shagawa Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Shagawa Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.9 ft. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.4 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.4µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Shagawa Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 7.11 walleye per gill net at Shagawa Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shagawa Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey).
14 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 119.70 | 3–12 in 2022-07-11 | 0.25 lb |
| Walleye | 11.25 | 7–22 in 2022-07-11 | 1.06 lb |
| White Sucker | 9.95 | 6–21 in 2022-07-11 | 1.95 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 4.11 | 8–18 in 2017-07-31 | 1.11 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
White Sucker
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2022-07-11 survey
Shagawa Lake is located on the north side of Ely. There are two main accesses, one each on the north and south sides of the lake. The access on the north side is basically a ramp immediately adjacent to Co Rd 88. There is very little parking at this location. The other access on south side consists of two concrete…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shagawa Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShagawaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Shagawa (1900)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ShagawaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShagawaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
48 ft
Surface area
2,345 acres
Shoreline
23.4 mi
Littoral zone
30%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
93 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,325 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shagawa Lake (Southeast)Public
- Shagawa Lake (Southwest)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Shagawa Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shagawa Lake in St. Louis 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 Shagawa 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 →
Follow Shagawa Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shagawa 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 5 years of monitoring (2021–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 28
Earliest Mar 27, 2012 · Latest May 16, 1996
Typical ice-in
Nov 19
Earliest Nov 6, 1991 · Latest Dec 10, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Apr 7
2024
147 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Shagawa Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0069-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Shagawa Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Ely WwtpEly · 0.5 mi away · NPDES MN0020508MajorRecent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Shagawa Lake
Where is Shagawa Lake?
- Shagawa Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shagawa Lake?
- Shagawa Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 2344.5 acres.
Is Shagawa Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shagawa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Shagawa Lake?
- Shagawa Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 2344.5 acres.
What fish are in Shagawa Lake?
- Fish species found in Shagawa Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, muskellunge, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Shagawa Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shagawa Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 11, 2022 caught 7.11 walleye per gill net at Shagawa Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–22 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shagawa Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Shagawa Lake thaw?
- Shagawa Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 28. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 205 days.
Are there boat ramps on Shagawa Lake?
- Shagawa Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shagawa Lake (Southeast), Shagawa Lake (Southwest). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Shagawa Lake?
- Shagawa Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Shagawa Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
73 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA73 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 (3)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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