Shallow Pond
Itasca County, Minnesota225 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Shallow Pond. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 14 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Shallow Pond in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Shallow Pond. DNR survey details →
Shallow Pond is a 225-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Shallow Pond is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shallow Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Shallow Pond 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 Shallow Pond
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Shallow Pond, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.4 ft. Phosphorus 53.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24.8 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 53.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 24.8µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Shallow Pond
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Shallow Pond typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (76°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Shallow Pond.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shallow Pond’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 38.11 | 4–12 in 2017-06-12 | 0.27 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.73 | 9–14 in 2017-06-12 | 0.52 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 17.12 | 9–13 in 2017-06-12 | 0.45 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.45 | 12–29 in 2017-06-12 | 1.76 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 5.43 | 10–15 in 2017-06-12 | 1.04 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.74 | 4 in 2017-06-12 | 0.04 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
Black Bullhead
Yellow Bullhead
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
Lake Details
Max depth
14 ft
Surface area
225 acres
Shoreline
3.9 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
27 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,358 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Shallow PondPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Shallow Pond are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Shallow Pond
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Shallow Pond
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0910-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Shallow Pond
Where is Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Shallow Pond is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Shallow Pond?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Shallow Pond. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Shallow Pond’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Shallow Pond?
- Shallow Pond has 1 documented boat landing 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 Shallow Pond across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory