Waptus Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota52 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Waptus Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 45 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Waptus Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 51.87 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 1988 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Waptus Lake. DNR survey details →
Waptus Lake is a 52-acre mesotrophic lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Clearwater County, Waptus Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-06. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Waptus Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Deep water45 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Waptus 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 Waptus Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Waptus 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 14.1 ft. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Waptus Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Waptus Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 66°F) and coldest in Jun (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 (66°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 117 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Waptus Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 1988 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Waptus Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Waptus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1988-07-27 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 1988-07-27 (Standard Survey)
38 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 7.92 | 0.24 lb | |
| Black Crappie | 4.75 | 0.4 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 2.85 | 0.96 lb | |
| White Sucker | 0.75 | 1.77 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.
From the 1988-07-27 survey
NO LARGE BLACK CRAPPIE WERE CAUGHT IN TEST NETS, BUT ELECTROSHOCKING DID TURN SOME NICE SIZE CRAPPIE, NORTHERN PIKE, NUMBERS APPEAR STABLE BUT ARE SMALL IN SIZE. YELLOW PERCH NUMBERS ARE HIGH AND APPEAR STUNTED MORE DATA IS NEEDED.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Waptus Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WaptusFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Waptus (1340)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WaptusPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
45 ft
Surface area
52 acres
Shoreline
1.7 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,621 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Waptus 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 Waptus Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Waptus Lake
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Fishing Waptus Lake
Nearby Lakes in Clearwater County
Frequently asked questions about Waptus Lake
Where is Waptus Lake?
- Waptus Lake is a lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Waptus Lake?
- Waptus Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 51.87 acres.
Is Waptus Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Waptus Lake?
- Waptus Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 117 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Waptus Lake?
- Waptus Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 51.87 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Waptus Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 27, 1988 caught 2.67 northern pike per gill net at Waptus Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Waptus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Waptus Lake?
- Waptus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Waptus Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Waptus Lake?
- Waptus 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 Waptus Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX46 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory