Smith Lake
Smith Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 193.22 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Max depth
- 51 ft
- Area
- 193 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 27
- Open water
- 211 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Smith 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 Smith 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.
Smith Lake is a 193-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-21. 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 Smith Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Smith Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smith 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 Smith Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft |
| Surface Area | 193 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 38% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Smith Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 14.28 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.71 | 0.2 lb |
| Rock Bass | 5.39 | 0.39 lb |
| Walleye | 3.28 | 1.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.36 | 1.72 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.91 | 0.13 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
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Walleye
From the 2020-08-14 survey
Smith (Lower Pequaywan) Lake is a 193-acre lake with 74 (38%) littoral acres and a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake is located about 14 miles northeast of Two Harbors, MN but there is no public access to the lake. Walleye is the primary management species and Northern Pike is the secondary management species. Smith…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Smith Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SmithFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Smith (0495)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.611 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
Estimated open water season: 211 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-15 (2005) | 2008-05-03 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2006-11-19 (2006) | 2015-11-27 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-29
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Smith Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Smith Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for recreation on the Little Cloquet River; gravity-type dam, 9 ft tall and 42 ft long.
- Surface area
- 220 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,988 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,517 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 23.7 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00002 · Operator website
Graded lakes near Smith Lake
Smith Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Smith Lake
What is the water quality grade for Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 193.22 acres.
Is Smith Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Smith 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 Smith Lake?
- Smith Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 193.22 acres.
What fish are in Smith Lake?
- Fish species found in Smith Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Smith Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Smith Lake thaw?
- Smith Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 27. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 211 days.
Explore Smith Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
91 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA91 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate