Sibley Lake
Sibley Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 444.24 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 444 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 217 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Sibley Lake is a 444-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Sibley Lake ranks #76 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria B
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Sibley Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 3.8% of 26 samples across 8 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sibley Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sibley Lake in Crow Wing 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
Sibley Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sibley Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 444 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sibley LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sibley Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 33.64 | 1.99 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.34 | 0.14 lb |
| CNM | 24.64 | — |
| JND | 17.04 | — |
| CSH | 14.00 | 0.1 lb |
| BNS | 11.57 | — |
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.
White Sucker
Bluegill
From the 2021-08-05 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sibley Lake was conducted on August 5, 2021, 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. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sibley Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SibleyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SibleyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SibleyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.111 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.87 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 217 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2013-05-09 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-06 (2019) | 2024-11-30 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-12
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sibley Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sibley Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the MAYO CREEK - TR; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 41 ft long.
- Surface area
- 418 ac
- Normal storage
- 10,200 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 11,730 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 55 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Undetermined
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00045 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Sibley Lake 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 MN18-0404-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #76 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Sibley Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Sibley Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sibley Lake?
- Sibley Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 444.24 acres.
Is Sibley Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Sibley Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 3.8% of 26 samples across 8 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Sibley Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Sibley Lake?
- Sibley Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sibley Lake?
- Sibley Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 444.24 acres.
What fish are in Sibley Lake?
- Fish species found in Sibley Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sibley Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Sibley Lake thaw?
- Sibley Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 20. The open water season is approximately 217 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sibley Lake?
- Sibley Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sibley Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sibley Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
161 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
MNPCA161 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate