West Twin Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota127 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for West Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 42 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
West Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 127.49 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 15, 2021 caught 1.43 northern pike per trap net at West Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
West Twin Lake is a 127-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, West Twin Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
West Twin Lake covers about 130 acres in Crow Wing County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near West Twin Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What West Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.3 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
- Deep water42 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 West 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 West Twin Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for West Twin 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 13.3 ft. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| 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. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about West Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 15, 2021 caught 1.43 northern pike per trap net at West Twin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-15 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2021-06-15 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.45 | 3–7 in 2021-06-15 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 10.60 | 7–10 in 2021-06-15 | 0.36 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 5.76 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 4.91 | 5–10 in 2021-06-15 | 0.61 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2021-06-15 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in West Twin Lake was conducted on June 15-17, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Twin Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — West TwinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
42 ft
Surface area
127 acres
Shoreline
2.8 mi
Littoral zone
68%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,211 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Twin 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 West Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Twin 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.
Top-rated places to stay near West Twin Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow West Twin Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Twin Lake
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.39 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.04 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about West Twin Lake
Where is West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 127.49 acres.
Is West Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 127.49 acres.
What fish are in West Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in West Twin Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. West Twin Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at West Twin Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 15, 2021 caught 1.43 northern pike per trap net at West Twin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Twin Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at West Twin Lake?
- West Twin 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.
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Where this data comes from
10 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
MNPCA10 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory