Upper Twin Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota213 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 12 ft max depth
- Public access
Upper Twin Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 212.5 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Upper Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
Upper Twin Lake is a 213-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Upper Twin Lake ranks #61 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Upper Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing18 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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 Twin Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Twin 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 Twin Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Upper Twin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.9 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 25.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.9µg/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. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Upper Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Upper Twin Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2018–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Twin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Upper Twin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Twin 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 16.97 | 4–8 in 2023-07-17 | 0.17 lb |
| White Sucker | 7.19 | 14–20 in 2023-07-17 | 1.98 lb |
| Shorthead Redhorse | 7.17 | 17–18 in 2023-07-17 | 3.04 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.66 | 15–36 in 2023-07-17 | 2.31 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.46 | 4–9 in 2023-07-17 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.96 | 3–7 in 2023-07-17 | 0.19 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
White Sucker
Shorthead Redhorse
Northern Pike
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Upper Twin (North Twin) is located in southern Hubbard County on the Hubbard-Wadena County line. Upper Twin is a very shallow lake with a maximum depth of only 12 feet. Due to its shallow depth, Upper Twin has abundant growth of both submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation. Upper Twin is connected to Lower Twin…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper 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 — Upper TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Upper Twin (1282)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Upper TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
12 ft
Average depth
6 ft
Surface area
213 acres
Shoreline
3.2 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
628 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,352 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
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Stays near Upper Twin Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Twin 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.64 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.43 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Twin 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 MN29-0157-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Twin Lake
Where is Upper Twin Lake?
- Upper Twin Lake is a lake in Hubbard 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 Twin Lake?
- Upper Twin Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 25.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 212.5 acres.
Is Upper Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Twin 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 Twin Lake?
- Upper Twin Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2018–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Twin Lake?
- Upper Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 212.5 acres.
What fish are in Upper Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Twin Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, greater redhorse, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, river redhorse, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Upper Twin Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Twin Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 17, 2023 caught 0.50 walleye per gill net at Upper Twin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Twin 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.
Can I fish at Upper Twin Lake?
- Public access to Upper Twin Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Twin Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
83 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
MNPCA83 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder