West Twin Lake
West Twin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 120.53 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 18 ft
- Area
- 121 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
West Twin Lake is a 121-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, West Twin Lake ranks #28 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch West Twin Lake water quality
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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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near West Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Twin 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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Water Temperature
West Twin Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 70°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 264 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full West Twin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 18 ft |
| Surface Area | 121 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 85% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Twin Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 20.52 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.96 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Crappie | 7.01 | 0.29 lb |
| GOS | 5.95 | 0.08 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.18 | 0.08 lb |
| SUN | 3.53 | — |
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
GOS
From the 2015-06-29 survey
A standard survey was conducted on West Twin Lake during the summer of 2015 to evaluate and update information about fish populations and to evaluate the cessation of the walleye fry stocking program that was discontinued in 2005. Walleye and Black Crappie are the primary management species for West Twin Lake. Walleye…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Twin Lake. 4 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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — West Twin (0307)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — West TwinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West TwinPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.854 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +73.05 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.07 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
West Twin Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2019 EPA reporting cycle.
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit FDL_123 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #28 of 68 lakes in St. Louis County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
West Twin Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about West Twin Lake
What is the water quality grade for West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 120.53 acres.
Is West Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. West Twin Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 264 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is West Twin Lake?
- West Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 120.53 acres.
What fish are in West Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in West Twin Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. West Twin Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
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Where this data comes from
364 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Fond du Lac Band of Chippewa (MN)
FONDULAC_WQX364 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Color, APHA Platinum-Cobalt
- For determination of Copper by the Bicinchoninate method.
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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