Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 108.21 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 33 ft
- Area
- 108 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Turtle 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 Turtle 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.
Turtle Lake is a 108-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-31. 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 Turtle Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.6 ft. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Turtle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Turtle Lake in Crow Wing 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 Turtle Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Turtle Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jun (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Turtle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 33 ft |
| Surface Area | 108 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | No |
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 Turtle Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BCS | 61.93 | — |
| Bluegill | 36.80 | 0.07 lb |
| GOS | 36.48 | — |
| JND | 31.97 | — |
| BNS | 18.89 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 16.20 | 0.34 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 Bass
From the 2023-08-02 survey
Turtle is a 108 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 33', located 3.5 miles North of Garrison, MN. Turtle is in the Rum River Watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations were evenly spaced around the lakeshore. Each station…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Turtle Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Turtle (0040)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.264 m/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Turtle 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 MN01-0204-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.38 km)
Graded lakes near Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.6 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 108.21 acres.
Is Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Turtle 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 Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet. The lake covers 108.21 acres.
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
- Fish species found in Turtle Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead. Turtle Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Explore Turtle Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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