Twin Lake
Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 491.76 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 492 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Twin 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 Twin 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.
Twin Lake is a 492-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water clarity is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Twin Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Twin Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Twin 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 Twin Lake
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 →
Water Temperature
Twin Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 82°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Twin Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (356,451 cells/mL) on April 3, 2021.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 492 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 64% |
| Public Access | Yes |
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 Twin Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 18.62 | 0.15 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.38 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.92 | 1.09 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.17 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.44 | 0.78 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.93 | 3.22 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
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2018-08-06 survey
Ross Lake is a 487 acre lake located in northeast Crow Wing County. A public access is located off the northeast corner of the lake. Ross has bog stained water, with a secchi disk reading of 4.0'. Much of the lakeshore is undeveloped and provides critical areas for fish spawning as well as providing habitat for fish…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Twin Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RossFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ross (0398)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — RossPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.135 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (34 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-23 (2012) | 1996-05-01 (1996) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-15 (2014) | 2007-12-01 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-09
Graded lakes near Twin Lake
Twin Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Twin Lake
What is the water quality grade for Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 491.76 acres.
Is Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Twin 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 Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 28 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Twin Lake?
- Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 491.76 acres.
What fish are in Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in Twin Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Twin Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Twin Lake thaw?
- Twin Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 21. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Does Twin Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Twin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (356,451 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Twin Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Brainerd Lakes area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Twin Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
132 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA132 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate