Ten Mile Lake
Cass County, Minnesota5,080 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Ten Mile Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 208 ft max depth
- Public access
Ten Mile Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 208 ft. Surface area: 5080.41 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 4.67 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Ten Mile Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 200 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Ten Mile Lake is a 5,080-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 208 feet (52-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Ten Mile Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 5,100 acres, Ten Mile Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 25, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Ten Mile Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Ten Mile Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water20.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 25
- Deep water208 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water5,080 acres
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. Ten Mile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Ten Mile Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 20.5 ft down. Phosphorus 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.9 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 20.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 8.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.9µg/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. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Ten Mile Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 52°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 53°F) and coldest in May (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (45°F) to its warmest (53°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 3,352 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ten Mile Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 4.67 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ten Mile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-26 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 21.47 | ||
| Bluegill | 14.49 | 3–8 in 2024-08-26 | 0.15 lb |
| Rock Bass | 10.25 | 3–10 in 2024-08-26 | 0.31 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.
Bluegill
Rock Bass
From the 2024-08-26 survey
Ten Mile Lake is a 5,080-acre lake with 24.8 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 208 feet located north of Hackensack, MN. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned public access is located on the western shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ten Mile Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Ten MileFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ten Mile (1461)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Ten MileFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Ten MilePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
208 ft
Average depth
52.4 ft
Surface area
5,080 acres
Shoreline
24.8 mi
Littoral zone
26%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
33 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,371 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ten Mile 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Ten Mile 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Ten Mile Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Follow Ten Mile Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ten Mile 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 25
Earliest Mar 29, 2012 · Latest May 18, 1996
Typical ice-in
Dec 11
Earliest Nov 22, 1999 · Latest Jan 2, 2003
Most recent ice-out
May 5
2022
91 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Ten Mile 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.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0413-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Ten Mile Lake
Where is Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 208 ft. Surface area: 5080.41 acres.
Is Ten Mile Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Ten Mile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 49°F at the surface in October, from 3,352 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake has a maximum depth of 208 feet and an average depth of 52.4 feet. The lake covers 5080.41 acres.
What fish are in Ten Mile Lake?
- Fish species found in Ten Mile Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, cisco species, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ten Mile Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Ten Mile Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 26, 2024 caught 4.67 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ten Mile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Ten Mile Lake thaw?
- Ten Mile Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Dec 11. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Are there boat ramps on Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Ten Mile Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cass 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
542 measurements from 9 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
MNPCA542 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (9)
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