Steamboat Lake
Steamboat Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 93 ft. Surface area: 1755.67 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Typical in August
- 54°F
- Max depth
- 93 ft
- Area
- 1,756 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
Next lake in Cass County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Steamboat Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 90 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Steamboat Lake is a 1,756-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 93 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Steamboat Lake ranks #53 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Steamboat Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Steamboat Lake in Cass 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
Steamboat Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 54°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 56°F) and coldest in May (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 606 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Steamboat Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 93 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,756 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 30% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Steamboat 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 51.83 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 20.34 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.56 | — |
| SFS | 7.11 | — |
| Bluegill | 6.39 | 0.2 lb |
| Walleye | 4.93 | 1.8 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2024-08-22 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Steamboat Lake, which is located partially within the Leech Lake Nation, was conducted on August 22 - September 3, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Steamboat Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SteamboatFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Steamboat (1253)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Steamboat (1470)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SteamboatFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SteamboatPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.023 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (5 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-05 (2021) | 2022-05-08 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-24
EPA Impairment Status
Steamboat Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0504-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #53 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Steamboat Lake
What is the water quality grade for Steamboat Lake?
- Steamboat Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 93 ft. Surface area: 1755.67 acres.
Is Steamboat Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Steamboat Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Steamboat Lake?
- Steamboat Lake typically sits around 54°F at the surface in August, from 606 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Steamboat Lake?
- Steamboat Lake has a maximum depth of 93 feet. The lake covers 1755.67 acres.
What fish are in Steamboat Lake?
- Fish species found in Steamboat Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Steamboat Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
When does Steamboat Lake thaw?
- Steamboat Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26.
Explore Steamboat Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Compare Steamboat Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
206 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA159 samples · 2020–2025 - Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX47 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate