Turtle Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota2,075 acresView mapDirections
No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Minnesota PCA for this lake.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 135 ft max depth
Turtle Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 135.2 ft. Surface area: 2075 acres.
Turtle Lake is a 2,075-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 135 feet.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Turtle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Deep water135.2 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,075 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingNot rated
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Turtle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Turtle 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 Turtle Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Turtle Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
No clarity data. TSI undefined.
Ask about Turtle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
135.2 ft
Surface area
2,075 acres
Shoreline
22.1 mi
The depth above comes from a bathymetric survey of this lake, not from a regional estimate.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Turtle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Turtle Lake in Itasca 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
Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Turtle Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Turtle Lake
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0725-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Lake
Where is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 135.2 ft. Surface area: 2075 acres.
Is Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Turtle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 135.2 feet. The lake covers 2075 acres.
Explore Turtle Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Turtle Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
Measurements for Turtle Lake come from the EPA Water Quality Portal. Per-sample source details are not recorded for this lake.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder