White Iron Lake
Lake County, Minnesota3,237 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for White Iron Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 47 ft max depth
- Public access
White Iron Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 18, 2023 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at White Iron Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. DNR survey details →
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. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
White Iron Lake covers about 3,200 acres in Lake County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 28, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around White Iron Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What White Iron Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 28
- Deep water47 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water3,237 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. White Iron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether White Iron 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 White Iron Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for White Iron Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Phosphorus 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about White Iron Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
White Iron Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (69°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 18, 2023 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at White Iron Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows White Iron Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-18 (Standard Survey).
17 surveys on file · most recent 2023-09-18 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 8.97 | 6–14 in 2020-08-24 | 0.34 lb |
| Walleye | 7.90 | 4–25 in 2023-09-18 | 1.04 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.92 | 3–11 in 2023-09-18 | 0.2 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.28 | 10 in 2023-09-18 | 1.47 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.26 | 8–21 in 2023-09-18 | 2.54 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Smallmouth Bass
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
Lake Details
Max depth
47 ft
Surface area
3,237 acres
Shoreline
35.5 mi
Littoral zone
50%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- White Iron Lake (North)Public
- White Iron Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near White Iron Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Iron Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.36 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.27 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 28
Earliest Apr 14, 2021 · Latest May 10, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 13, 2002 · Latest Dec 3, 2024
Most recent ice-out
May 10
2022
18 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0004-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about White Iron Lake
Where is White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake is a lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. White Iron Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at White Iron Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 18, 2023 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at White Iron Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows White Iron Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at White Iron Lake?
- White Iron Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 White Iron Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare White Iron Lake With Nearby Lakes
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)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate