Tom Lake
Tom Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 404.48 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 404 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 2
Next lake in Cook County
Tom Lake is a 404-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including burbot, lake whitefish, and walleye. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Tom Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Tom Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tom Lake in Cook 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
Tom Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Tom Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 404 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 83% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tom LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Tom Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 13.03 | 0.18 lb |
| Walleye | 3.98 | 1.09 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.52 | 1.8 lb |
| LKW | 2.45 | 3.43 lb |
| CRC | 1.08 | 0.08 lb |
| Northern Pike | 0.71 | 1.14 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
White Sucker
LKW
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Tom Lake is a 404 acre lake located approximately 7 miles northwest of Hovland. Public access is through a boat landing on the northwest side of the lake. Tom Lake part of the Lake Superior North watershed and is the headwater lake of the Swamp River. Tom Lake is primarily managed for walleye. The 2023 standard lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Tom Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TomFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Tom (1835)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TomPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.101 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.8 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.82 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-28 (2007) | 2022-05-17 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-17
EPA Impairment Status
Tom 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 MN16-0019-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Tom Lake
What is the water quality grade for Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 404.48 acres.
Is Tom Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Tom Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 404.48 acres.
What fish are in Tom Lake?
- Fish species found in Tom Lake include burbot, lake whitefish, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Tom Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
When does Tom Lake thaw?
- Tom Lake typically has ice-out around May 2.
Are there boat ramps on Tom Lake?
- Tom Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tom Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Tom Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
6.4 mi away · 50 ft
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Tom Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
145 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
MNPCA145 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)
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