Sturgeon Lake
Sturgeon Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 1705.91 acres.
- Clarity
- 17 ft
- Typical in August
- 68°F
- Max depth
- 40 ft
- Area
- 1,706 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
Next lake in Pine County
Why Sturgeon Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Sturgeon Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Sturgeon Lake is a 1,706-acre lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 40 feet (22-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Sturgeon Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sturgeon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sturgeon Lake in Pine 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
Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Sep (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 40 ft |
| Average Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,706 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 29% |
| 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 Sturgeon 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 86.90 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 43.84 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.51 | 1.22 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.40 | 0.17 lb |
| SFS | 6.92 | — |
| CNM | 6.82 | — |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-07-10 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sturgeon Lake was conducted on July 10-16, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sturgeon Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SturgeonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sturgeon (0358)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SturgeonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SturgeonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.367 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2003-04-15 (2003) | 2013-05-12 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2018-11-20 (2018) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
EPA Impairment Status
Sturgeon Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN58-0067-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Sturgeon Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake in Pine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 40 ft. Surface area: 1705.91 acres.
Is Sturgeon Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Sturgeon Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in August, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake has a maximum depth of 40 feet and an average depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 1705.91 acres.
What fish are in Sturgeon Lake?
- Fish species found in Sturgeon Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sturgeon Lake is located in Pine County, Minnesota.
When does Sturgeon Lake thaw?
- Sturgeon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25.
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Where this data comes from
80 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
MNPCA80 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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