Sturgeon Lake
Sturgeon Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 79.8 ft. Surface area: 1584.97 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 79.8 ft
- Area
- 1,585 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in St. Louis County
Sturgeon Lake is a 1,585-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2023. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Sturgeon Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 13.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Sturgeon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sturgeon 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.
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Water Temperature
Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 56°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 58°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 173 field readings (2011–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sturgeon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 79.8 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,585 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sturgeon LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sturgeon Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 4.44 | 0.22 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 4.11 | 0.46 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.27 | 1.8 lb |
| Walleye | 1.11 | 2.05 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.10 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.01 | 0.41 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.
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
Northern Pike
Walleye
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Sturgeon Lake is a 1,664-acre lake located 14 miles northwest of Chisholm, MN, within the Little Fork River watershed. A public access is located on the southeast shore within McCarthy Beach State Park. The lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet and 40 percent of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. Water chemistry…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sturgeon Lake. 6 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 (0830)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sturgeon (1769)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sturgeon (1770)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: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.005 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (42 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-27 (2012) | 1996-05-13 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-23 (2007) | 2006-12-01 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-14
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Sturgeon Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Sturgeon Lake (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Sturgeon River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 75 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,050 ac
- Normal storage
- 65,560 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 75,599 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 48.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00095 · Operator website
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 MN69-0939-01 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Sturgeon Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 79.8 ft. Surface area: 1584.97 acres.
Is Sturgeon Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Sturgeon Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 173 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake has a maximum depth of 79.8 feet. The lake covers 1584.97 acres.
What fish are in Sturgeon Lake?
- Fish species found in Sturgeon Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, golden redhorse, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Sturgeon Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
When does Sturgeon Lake thaw?
- Sturgeon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sturgeon Lake?
- Sturgeon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sturgeon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate