Squaw Smith Lake
Beltrami County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Squaw Smith Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
Squaw Smith Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Squaw Smith Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Squaw Smith Lake ranks #43 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Squaw Smith Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water20 ft of visibility
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Squaw Smith 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 Squaw Smith Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Squaw Smith Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.6 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 20ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.6µg/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. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Squaw Smith Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Squaw Smith Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Mar (about 33°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (33°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 95 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Squaw Smith Lake water temperature breakdown →
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Squaw Smith Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Squaw Smith Lake in Beltrami 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 Squaw Smith Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Squaw Smith Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Squaw Smith Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.93 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.34 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Squaw Smith Lake
Where is Squaw Smith Lake?
- Squaw Smith Lake is a lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Squaw Smith Lake?
- Squaw Smith Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L.
Is Squaw Smith Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Squaw Smith Lake?
- Squaw Smith Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 95 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Explore Squaw Smith Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Squaw Smith Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
98 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Red Lake DNR
REDLAKE_WQX98 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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.