Town Line Lake
Town Line Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 697.67 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 11 ft
- Area
- 698 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Town Line Lake is a 698-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Town Line Lake ranks #95 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-09. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Town Line Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Town Line Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Town Line 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.
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Water Temperature
Town Line Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 73°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 52 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Town Line Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 698 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Town Line LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Town Line 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 15.59 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.67 | 0.17 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.88 | 2.08 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 8.18 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.12 | 0.37 lb |
| Walleye | 1.67 | 2.89 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
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2023-06-12 survey
Town Line (Townline) Lake (DOW# 11-0190, Lake Class 39) is a 698-acre lake with 698 littoral acres, 8.29 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 11 feet located north of Longville, MN. Town Line Lake is within the Chippawa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation (LLIR) and is co-managed by MN DNR and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Town Line Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Town LineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Town Line (1568)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Town LineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Town LinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #95 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Town Line Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Town Line Lake
What is the water quality grade for Town Line Lake?
- Town Line Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 697.67 acres.
Is Town Line Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Town Line Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Town Line Lake?
- Town Line Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 52 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Town Line Lake?
- Town Line Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 697.67 acres.
What fish are in Town Line Lake?
- Fish species found in Town Line Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow perch. Town Line Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Town Line Lake?
- Town Line Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Town Line Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Town Line Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
57 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX42 samples · 2023–2024 - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory