Shallow Pond
Shallow Pond in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 224.73 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 225 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Shallow Pond →
Next lake in Itasca County
Shallow Pond is a 225-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Shallow Pond ranks #64 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 60.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 60 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Shallow Pond
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Shallow Pond 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 Shallow Pond are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Shallow Pond
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Shallow Pond typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Shallow Pond water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 225 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shallow PondPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shallow Pond
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 38.11 | 0.27 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.73 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 17.12 | 0.45 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.45 | 1.76 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 5.43 | 1.04 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.74 | 0.04 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
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2017-06-12 survey
Shallow Pond is located approximately eight miles south of Northhome, MN and within the Big Fork River watershed. The 176 acre lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet and the lightly developed shoreline is 3.9 miles in length. There is a public access located on the north shore which is owned by the U.S. Forest Service.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shallow Pond. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Shallow PondFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Shallow Pond (0695)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Shallow PondFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Shallow PondPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Shallow Pond is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0910-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #64 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Shallow Pond holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Shallow Pond
What is the water quality grade for Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 224.73 acres.
Is Shallow Pond safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Shallow Pond has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 224.73 acres.
What fish are in Shallow Pond?
- Fish species found in Shallow Pond include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Shallow Pond is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Shallow Pond. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Shallow Pond across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory