Snowbank Lake
Snowbank Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 150 ft. Surface area: 4654.83 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 59°F
- Max depth
- 150 ft
- Area
- 4,655 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 29
Next lake in Lake County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Snowbank Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 140 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Snowbank Lake is a 4,655-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 150 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including burbot, cisco species, and lake trout. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Snowbank Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Snowbank Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.5 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Snowbank Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Snowbank Lake in Lake 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 Snowbank Lake
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Snowbank Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Water Temperature
Snowbank Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 62°F) and coldest in Jun (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 90 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Snowbank Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 150 ft |
| Surface Area | 4,655 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 43.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 19% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Snowbank LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Snowbank Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 8.54 | 0.24 lb |
| Rock Bass | 7.83 | 0.19 lb |
| BUB | 3.98 | 1.76 lb |
| Walleye | 3.94 | 2.27 lb |
| CIS | 3.79 | 0.18 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.71 | 2.67 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Rock Bass
BUB
Walleye
From the 2024-07-29 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Snowbank Lake on July 29th, 2024, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Trout, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco, also known…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Snowbank Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SnowbankFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Snowbank (1898)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SnowbankFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SnowbankPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.648 m/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-30 (2012) | 2008-05-12 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2018-11-20 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2017-04-16
EPA Impairment Status
Snowbank Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0529-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 35 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Snowbank Lake
What is the water quality grade for Snowbank Lake?
- Snowbank Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 150 ft. Surface area: 4654.83 acres.
Is Snowbank Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Snowbank Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Snowbank Lake?
- Snowbank Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August, from 90 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Snowbank Lake?
- Snowbank Lake has a maximum depth of 150 feet. The lake covers 4654.83 acres.
What fish are in Snowbank Lake?
- Fish species found in Snowbank Lake include burbot, cisco species, lake trout, northern pike, northern pike (silver phase), rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Snowbank Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
When does Snowbank Lake thaw?
- Snowbank Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29.
Are there boat ramps on Snowbank Lake?
- Snowbank Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Snowbank Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Snowbank Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Snowbank Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
32 measurements from 6 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
MNPCA32 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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