Spike Lake
Spike Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.7 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 55°F
- Mean depth
- ~13 ft est.
- Area
- 80 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Clearwater County
Spike Lake is a 80-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 13 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Spike Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.7 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spike Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spike Lake in Clearwater 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
Spike Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 56°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 57°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 125 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spike Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 80 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Spike 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.
Fishing Spike Lake
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spike Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Spike (1705)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpikePublic 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 | +0.086 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.79 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.72 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Spike Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Spike Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Clearwater River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 11 ft long.
- Surface area
- 80 ac
- Normal storage
- 213 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,123 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 17 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01292 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #32 of 37 lakes in Clearwater County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Spike 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 Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Spike Lake
What is the water quality grade for Spike Lake?
- Spike Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.7 µg/L. Surface area: 80 acres.
Is Spike Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Spike Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spike Lake?
- Spike Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in August, from 125 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spike Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Spike Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 13 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 80 acres.
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Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA39 samples · 2022–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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