Upper Mission Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota882 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Mission Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Upper Mission Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 881.57 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 27, 2022 caught 48.46 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Upper Mission Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Upper Mission Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Upper Mission Lake is a 882-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Upper Mission Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Upper Mission Lake covers about 880 acres in Crow Wing County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 18, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Upper Mission Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Upper Mission Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 18
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Mission Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Mission 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 Upper Mission Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Upper Mission Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. Phosphorus 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.1 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Upper Mission Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Upper Mission Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (75°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Mission Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Upper Mission Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (11,912 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 27, 2022 caught 48.46 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Upper Mission Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Mission Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-27 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-27 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 34.43 | 5–9 in 2022-06-13 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluegill | 30.23 | 2–8 in 2022-06-13 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 25.45 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 18.50 | 4–18 in 2022-06-13 | 0.96 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-07-27 survey
Upper Mission Lake is an 882 acre lake, with a maximum depth of 36', located just northeast of the town of Ossipee, MN. Upper Mission is in the Mississippi River-Brainerd Watershed. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Fourteen 100' long sampling stations…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper Mission Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Upper MissionFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Upper Mission (0218)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Upper MissionFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Upper MissionPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Surface area
882 acres
Shoreline
6 mi
Littoral zone
29%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Upper Mission LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upper Mission Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Mission 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 Upper Mission Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Mission Lake
- → Upper Mission Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Upper Mission Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Upper Mission Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Upper Mission Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.7 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.83 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 18
Earliest Mar 24, 2012 · Latest May 13, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 27
Earliest Nov 13, 1995 · Latest Dec 29, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 12
2020
82 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Mission 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 MN18-0242-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Mission Lake
Where is Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 881.57 acres.
Is Upper Mission Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Mission Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 881.57 acres.
What fish are in Upper Mission Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Mission Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Upper Mission Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Mission Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 27, 2022 caught 48.46 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Upper Mission Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Mission Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Upper Mission Lake thaw?
- Upper Mission Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Does Upper Mission Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Upper Mission Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (11,912 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Upper Mission Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Upper Mission Lake?
- Upper Mission Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Upper Mission Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Mille Lacs Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Pine River Watersheds (Brainerd Lakes), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
93 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
MNPCA93 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate