Side Lake
Side Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility.
- Clarity
- 5.2 ft
- Mean depth
- ~10 ft est.
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 213 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Side Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Side Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Side Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 10 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Side Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Side Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Side Lake in St. Louis 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Side Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~10 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Side Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Bachelor RoadPublic
- High Banks (North)Public
- Fish Lake (South)Public
Fishing Side Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Side Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Side (Bowman) (0532)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
Estimated open water season: 213 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1998-04-09 (1998) | 1996-05-04 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2015-12-20 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-12
Graded lakes near Side Lake
Side Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Side Lake
What is the water quality grade for Side Lake?
- Side Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility.
Is Side Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Side Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Side Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Side Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 10 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Side Lake thaw?
- Side Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 213 days.
Are there boat ramps on Side Lake?
- Side Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bachelor Road, High Banks (North), Fish Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Side Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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