White Iron Lake
White Iron Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 3237.46 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 47 ft
- Area
- 3,237 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 28
- Open water
- 211 days
Next lake in Lake County
Free interactive depth-contour map of White Iron Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
White Iron Lake is a 3,237-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 47 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, White Iron Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near White Iron Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Iron Lake in Lake 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
White Iron Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 596 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Iron Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for White Iron Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (9,290 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 47 ft |
| Surface Area | 3,237 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 35.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- White Iron Lake (North)Public
- White Iron Lake (South)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Iron Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 8.97 | 0.34 lb |
| Walleye | 7.90 | 1.04 lb |
| CIS | 5.33 | 0.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.92 | 0.2 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.28 | 1.47 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.26 | 2.54 lb |
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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
CIS
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-09-18 survey
White Iron Lake is fairly large, at 3,246 acres, and is three miles southeast of Ely. The lake has two public access with concrete boat ramps, both on the west side of the lake. White Iron Lake can also be accessed by boat from the Garden Reservoir via Farm Lake. Water levels on the lake are affected seasonally by a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Iron Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White IronFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — White Iron (1891)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White IronPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.064 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.36 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.27 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (18 observations).
Estimated open water season: 211 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-04-14 (2021) | 2022-05-10 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-13 (2002) | 2024-12-03 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-10
EPA Impairment Status
White Iron Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0004-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 35 lakes in Lake County
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about White Iron Lake
What is the water quality grade for White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 47 ft. Surface area: 3237.46 acres.
Is White Iron Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. White Iron Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 596 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake has a maximum depth of 47 feet. The lake covers 3237.46 acres.
What fish are in White Iron Lake?
- Fish species found in White Iron Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. White Iron Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
When does White Iron Lake thaw?
- White Iron Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 28. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 211 days.
Does White Iron Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for White Iron Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (9,290 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include White Iron Lake (North), White Iron Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White Iron Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
173 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA173 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate