White Swan Lake
White Swan Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 165.23 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 165 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
Next lake in Itasca County
Why White Swan 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 White Swan 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.
White Swan Lake is a 165-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet (11-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-19. 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 White Swan Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near White Swan Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Swan Lake in Itasca 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 Swan Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Average Depth | 10.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 165 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Round LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Swan Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2006-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 17.56 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.74 | 0.28 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.36 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.06 | 2.61 lb |
| Rock Bass | 2.37 | 0.31 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 1.26 | 1.06 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2006-08-14 survey
White Swan Lake is 158-acre bass/panfish lake located 14 miles southeast of Bigfork, MN in northern Itasca County. The lake has a moderate amount of development but no designated public access. The walleye gill-net catch in 2006 was 1.3/net, above the lake class average but down from the catch of 2.2/net in 1996.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Swan Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White SwanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White SwanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.087 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-25 (2012) | 2022-05-05 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-18 (2007) | 2012-11-23 (2012) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
EPA Impairment Status
White Swan Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0266-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.88 km)
Graded lakes near White Swan Lake
White Swan Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about White Swan Lake
What is the water quality grade for White Swan Lake?
- White Swan Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 165.23 acres.
Is White Swan Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. White Swan Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is White Swan Lake?
- White Swan Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet and an average depth of 10.5 feet. The lake covers 165.23 acres.
What fish are in White Swan Lake?
- Fish species found in White Swan Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, yellow perch. White Swan Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
When does White Swan Lake thaw?
- White Swan Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Are there boat ramps on White Swan Lake?
- White Swan Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Round Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White Swan Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA35 samples · 2020–2025
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