Split Hand Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota1,374 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Split Hand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 34 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Split Hand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 1373.73 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 25, 2025 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Split Hand Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Split Hand Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Split Hand Lake is a 1,374-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Split Hand Lake covers about 1,400 acres in Itasca County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 20, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Split Hand Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Split Hand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
- Deep water34 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,374 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Split Hand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Split Hand 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 Split Hand Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Split Hand Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.1 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.1µg/L | Measured, not scored The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Split Hand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Split Hand Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 53 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Split Hand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 25, 2025 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Split Hand Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Split Hand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
23 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-25 (Standard Survey).
23 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-25 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 43.10 | 3–11 in 2025-08-25 | 0.18 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 18.86 | ||
| Bluegill | 9.82 | 1–10 in 2025-08-25 | 0.3 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
From the 2025-08-25 survey
Split Hand Lake is a large, productive lake that supports a diverse fish community and popular fishing opportunities. The lake's water chemistry and fertility are well-suited for fish growth, although water clarity is typically limited, with visibility usually around three to four feet. Overall, the lake continues to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Split Hand Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Split HandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Split Hand (0551)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Split HandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Split HandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
34 ft
Surface area
1,374 acres
Shoreline
7.3 mi
Littoral zone
37%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
43 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,250 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Split Hand LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Split Hand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Split Hand Lake in Itasca 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 Split Hand Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Split Hand Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 20, 2024 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 11, 2004 · Latest Dec 6, 2011
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2025
24 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Split Hand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0353-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Split Hand Lake
Where is Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 1373.73 acres.
Is Split Hand Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Split Hand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 53 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 1373.73 acres.
What fish are in Split Hand Lake?
- Fish species found in Split Hand Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Split Hand Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Split Hand Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 25, 2025 caught 6.00 walleye per gill net at Split Hand Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Split Hand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Split Hand Lake thaw?
- Split Hand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Split Hand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Split Hand Lake?
- Split Hand 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 Split Hand Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
77 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA77 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
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