Stump Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota323 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Stump Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Stump Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 322.92 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 25, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at Stump Lake. DNR survey details →
Stump Lake is a 323-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Stump Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-26. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Stump Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
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 Stump 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 Stump Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Stump Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Stump Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Stump Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 37 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stump Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 25, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at Stump Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stump Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-25 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-25 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 76.16 | 0.33 lb | |
| Brown Bullhead | 24.72 | 11–14 in 2011-06-06 | 0.81 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.00 | 4–12 in 2022-07-25 | 0.22 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.48 | 3–8 in 2022-07-25 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 9.80 | 7–13 in 2022-07-25 | 0.68 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 6.74 | 4 in 2001-08-27 | 0.13 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.
Brown Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2022-07-25 survey
Stump Lake is a 323 acre impoundment of the Mississippi River located approximately four miles downstream of Lake Bemidji in Beltrami County. The maximum depth is 24 feet but most of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. There are no public boat ramps on Stump Lake but many access the lake via the Mississippi River from…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stump Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StumpFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StumpPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Surface area
323 acres
Shoreline
9.8 mi
Littoral zone
73%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
624 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,335 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Stump Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Stump Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stump 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.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable0 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.4 µg/L/yr3 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 23, 2019 · Latest May 7, 2022
Most recent ice-out
May 7
2022
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Stump Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Bemidji (completed 1907), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Mississippi River; gravity-type dam, 33 ft tall and 60 ft long.
- Surface area
- 201 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,500 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 4,500 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 626 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- Ottertail Power Co
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00504 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Stump Lake
Where is Stump Lake?
- Stump 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 Stump Lake?
- Stump Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 322.92 acres.
Is Stump 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 Stump Lake?
- Stump Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in October, from 37 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stump Lake?
- Stump Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 322.92 acres.
What fish are in Stump Lake?
- Fish species found in Stump Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Stump Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Stump Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 25, 2022 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at Stump Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stump Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Stump Lake thaw?
- Stump Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23.
Can I fish at Stump Lake?
- Public access to Stump Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Stump Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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
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State Parks Near Stump Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
117 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
MNPCA117 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate