Strand Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota330 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Strand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
Strand Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 330.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 8, 2025 caught 9.17 walleye per gill net at Strand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–28 inches. DNR survey details →
Strand Lake is a 330-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Strand Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Strand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Strand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Strand 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 Strand Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Strand 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 3.5 ft. Phosphorus 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.9 µg/L. TSI 57.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 44µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.9µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 57 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Strand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Strand Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Oct (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 83 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Strand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 8, 2025 caught 9.17 walleye per gill net at Strand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–28 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strand 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-08 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 5.22 | 8–28 in 2025-09-08 | 1.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.73 | 4–12 in 2025-09-08 | 0.4 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.54 | 3–7 in 2025-09-08 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.60 | 2–11 in 2025-09-08 | 0.63 lb |
| Bluegill | 2.51 | 3–9 in 2025-09-08 | 0.3 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.43 | 12–19 in 2025-09-08 | 3.2 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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
Black Crappie
From the 2025-09-08 survey
Strand Lake is a 330-acre lake located 5 miles southeast of Cotton, Minnesota, with a maximum depth of 16 feet. There is a township administered; gravel back-in access located on the north side of the lake off County Road 973. The 2019 Lake Management Plan (LMP) identified Walleye, Bluegill, and Black Crappie as…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Strand Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StrandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Strand (1821)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StrandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StrandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
330 acres
Shoreline
5.2 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,352 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Strand 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 Strand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Strand 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Strand Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Strand 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 Strand Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Strand Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving4 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.29 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.03 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Apr 11, 2006 · Latest Apr 26, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 5, 2017 · Latest Nov 29, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Apr 17
2025
18 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Strand 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, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0529-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Strand Lake
Where is Strand Lake?
- Strand 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 Strand Lake?
- Strand Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 44 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 330.21 acres.
Is Strand Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Strand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Strand Lake?
- Strand Lake typically sits around 57°F at the surface in October, from 83 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Strand Lake?
- Strand Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 330.21 acres.
What fish are in Strand Lake?
- Fish species found in Strand Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Strand Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Strand Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 8, 2025 caught 9.17 walleye per gill net at Strand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–28 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strand 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 Strand Lake thaw?
- Strand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Strand Lake?
- Strand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Strand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Strand Lake?
- Strand 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 Strand Lake across LakeQuality
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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
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
112 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA112 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 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
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