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B

Shingobee Bay Lake

Cass County, MinnesotaMesotrophic

Shingobee Bay Lake carries a solid B grade — strong on most parameters, with measurements that hold up well across the summer season. clarity and chlorophyll-a rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

A TSI near 46 places Shingobee Bay Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. The lake's surface area is not consistently recorded across state datasets — physical context remains partial. Within the 132 graded lakes of Cass County, Shingobee Bay Lake sits at rank 101, near the bottom of the county list.

Zebra mussel presence at Shingobee Bay Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Shingobee Bay Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

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Swimming Safety

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels

Water Quality Grade: B, Good

Good clarity, visible to about 10.6 ft. Chlorophyll-a: 6.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)10.6 ftB
PhosphorusNo data
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)6.3 µg/LB
Trophic State Index (TSI)46Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Invasive & Introduced Species

Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.

Eurasian watermilfoilstarry stonewortzebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable-0.015 m/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Improving-4 µg/L/yr2
See year-by-year chart →

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #101 of 132 lakes in Cass County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Shingobee Bay Lake holds Grade B. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Cass County

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Shingobee Bay Lake. 1 report on file.

EPA Impairment Status

Shingobee Bay Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0203-04 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.27 km)

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Most recent sample: 2023-09-07

Monitoring stations: 1