Velvet Lake
Velvet Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 166.87 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 29 ft
- Area
- 167 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 217 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Velvet Lake is a 167-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Velvet Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Velvet Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Velvet 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.
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Water Temperature
Velvet Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Velvet Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 29 ft |
| Surface Area | 167 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fishing Velvet Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1985-08-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 14.50 | 0.11 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.16 | 0.53 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.83 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.33 | 0.38 lb |
| Walleye | 2.00 | 3.67 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.00 | 0.17 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1985-08-21 survey
NORTHERN PIKE ABUNDANCE IS LOW (2.3 GILLNET) BUT A GOOD LENGTH FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION EXISTS AND THE GROWTH RATE IS GOOD. YELLOW BULLHEAD ABUNDANCE IS GOOD WITH ALL SIZE CLASSES PRESENT. BLUEGILL ABUNDANCE IS MODERATE, GROWTH RATE SLOW, THE SIZE SMALL AND MAJORITY OF THE BLUEGILLS BELONG TO THE III, IV OR V YEAR CLASS…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Velvet Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VelvetFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VelvetFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.029 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.63 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (14 observations).
Estimated open water season: 217 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-29 (2016) | 2014-04-26 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-03 (2002) | 2007-11-30 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2016-03-29
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Velvet Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Velvet Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Pine River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 30 ft long.
- Surface area
- 160 ac
- Normal storage
- 525 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 1,050 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.6 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00050 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Velvet Lake
What is the water quality grade for Velvet Lake?
- Velvet Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 166.87 acres.
Is Velvet Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Velvet Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Velvet Lake?
- Velvet Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Velvet Lake?
- Velvet Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 166.87 acres.
When does Velvet Lake thaw?
- Velvet Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 19. The open water season is approximately 217 days.
Explore Velvet Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
86 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
MNPCA86 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate