Shallow Lake
Shallow Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 538.95 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 85 ft
- Area
- 539 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 3
- Open water
- 212 days
Next lake in Itasca County
Shallow Lake is a 539-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 85 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Shallow Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-15. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Shallow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shallow 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.
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Water Temperature
Shallow Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Jun (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 41 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shallow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Shallow Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (277,971 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
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 | 85 ft |
| Surface Area | 539 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shallow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shallow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 37.39 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 29.06 | — |
| BCS | 25.25 | — |
| IOD | 7.04 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.24 | 1.4 lb |
| CNM | 5.14 | — |
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
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2024-06-24 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Shallow Lake was conducted beginning on June 24th, 2024 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shallow Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ShallowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Shallow (0561)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ShallowFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ShallowPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.051 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (12 observations).
Estimated open water season: 212 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-12 (2015) | 2007-05-20 (2007) |
| Ice-In | 2006-11-30 (2006) | 2015-12-27 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-06
EPA Impairment Status
Shallow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0084-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Shallow Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Warba WwtpWarba · 1.6 mi away · NPDES MN0020974
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Shallow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Shallow Lake?
- Shallow Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 538.95 acres.
Is Shallow Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Shallow Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Shallow Lake?
- Shallow Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 41 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Shallow Lake?
- Shallow Lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet. The lake covers 538.95 acres.
What fish are in Shallow Lake?
- Fish species found in Shallow Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Shallow Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does Shallow Lake thaw?
- Shallow Lake typically has ice-out around May 3. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Does Shallow Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Shallow Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (277,971 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Shallow Lake?
- Shallow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shallow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shallow Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
88 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
MNPCA88 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
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