Waukenabo Lake
Waukenabo Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 667.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 38 ft
- Area
- 668 acres
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 218 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Why Waukenabo 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 Waukenabo 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.
Waukenabo Lake is a 668-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Waukenabo 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.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Waukenabo Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Waukenabo Lake in Aitkin 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
Waukenabo Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 30 field readings (2016–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Waukenabo Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 38 ft |
| Surface Area | 668 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Waukenabo LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Waukenabo Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-06 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 67.95 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 44.03 | 1.21 lb |
| Bluegill | 25.93 | 0.26 lb |
| GOS | 6.14 | — |
| Black Crappie | 4.44 | 0.32 lb |
| BNS | 3.38 | — |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Crappie
From the 2025-08-06 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Waukenabo Lake was conducted on August 6, 2025, by Aitkin area fisheries staff. Sampling sites (N=14) were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Waukenabo Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WaukenaboFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Waukenabo (0099)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WaukenaboFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WaukenaboPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (31 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-13 (2024) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2017-11-09 (2017) | 2015-11-29 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Waukenabo Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Waukenabo Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Little Willow River-TR; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall and 41 ft long.
- Surface area
- 650 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 12.1 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00246 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Waukenabo Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0136-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Waukenabo Lake
What is the water quality grade for Waukenabo Lake?
- Waukenabo Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 38 ft. Surface area: 667.7 acres.
Is Waukenabo Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Waukenabo Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Waukenabo Lake?
- Waukenabo Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 30 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Waukenabo Lake?
- Waukenabo Lake has a maximum depth of 38 feet. The lake covers 667.7 acres.
What fish are in Waukenabo Lake?
- Fish species found in Waukenabo Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Waukenabo Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Waukenabo Lake thaw?
- Waukenabo Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Are there boat ramps on Waukenabo Lake?
- Waukenabo Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Waukenabo Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate