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LakeQuality

Wagosh Lake

NR
Not yet rated
8 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 42 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Wagosh Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 42.15 acres.

Clarity
8 ft
Max depth
10 ft
Area
42 acres
Trend
Declining
Public access
No

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Why Wagosh 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 Wagosh 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.

Wagosh Lake is a 42-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-06-26. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

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Water quality measurements for Wagosh Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Trophic State Index: 47.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)8 ftNot graded
PhosphorusNo recent samples
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)47Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Wagosh Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wagosh Lake in St. Louis 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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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth10 ft
Surface Area42 acres
Shoreline Length2 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
Elevation
1,345 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fishing Wagosh Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1974-09-09 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Northern Pike8.002.25 lb
Yellow Perch7.000.29 lb
White Sucker4.502.72 lb
Walleye3.001.25 lb
Rock Bass1.500.1 lb
Bluegill0.500.25 lb

CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.

From the 1974-09-09 survey

The walleye population is lightly below average, but is good for a lake of this type. Yellow perch and rock bass are present in about average numbers. Northern pike and white suckers are present in above average numbers. Bluegills are present.

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wagosh Lake. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.232 m/yr3

Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County

Frequently asked questions about Wagosh Lake

What is the water quality grade for Wagosh Lake?

Wagosh Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 42.15 acres.

Is Wagosh Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Wagosh Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Wagosh Lake?

Wagosh Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 42.15 acres.

Where this data comes from

4 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA4 samples · 2021–2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (4)

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