Spirit Lake
St. Louis County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Spirit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Public access
- Limited data
Spirit Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L.
Spirit Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Spirit Lake ranks #51 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Spirit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spirit Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Spirit Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Spirit Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 65µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Spirit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Spirit Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (64°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spirit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Recreation & Access
- Spirit/ Clyde AvenuePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Spirit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spirit 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 Spirit Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Spirit Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fishing Spirit Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Spirit Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-1291-03 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Spirit Lake
Where is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 65 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L.
Is Spirit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spirit/ Clyde Avenue. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Spirit Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory