Wilson Lake
Lake County, Minnesota650 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wilson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 53 ft max depth
- Public access
Wilson Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 650.23 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 20.44 walleye per gill net at Wilson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Wilson Lake is a 650-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 53 feet (30-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including northern pike, walleye, and white sucker. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Wilson Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Wilson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water10.7 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing4 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 29
- Deep water53 ft surveyed max depth
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. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wilson 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 Wilson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Wilson 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 10.7 ft. Phosphorus 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 10.7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 13.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wilson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Wilson Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 63°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 67°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 (67°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 133 field readings (2019–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wilson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 20.44 walleye per gill net at Wilson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wilson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-11 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-11 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 27.14 | 5–10 in 2025-08-11 | 0.16 lb |
| Walleye | 8.96 | 6–26 in 2025-08-11 | 1.15 lb |
| White Sucker | 7.73 | 8–21 in 2025-08-11 | 1.8 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.
Yellow Perch
Walleye
White Sucker
From the 2025-08-11 survey
Wilson Lake is located 11 miles northwest of Schroeder within the Superior National Forest. There is a public water access with a concrete log ramp on the south end of the lake off Forest Service Road 170 (Four Mile Grade). The fish community is maintained entirely through natural reproduction, and a standard survey…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wilson Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WilsonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wilson (0978)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WilsonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
53 ft
Average depth
30 ft
Surface area
650 acres
Shoreline
7.6 mi
Littoral zone
37%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
6 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,677 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wilson 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 Wilson Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wilson 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 Wilson Lake
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Follow Wilson Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wilson Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.6 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 29
Earliest Apr 5, 2012 · Latest May 21, 2014
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 9, 2017 · Latest Dec 24, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 30
2017
20 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wilson Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wilson Lake (completed 1961), built primarily for recreation on the Wilson Creek; rockfill-type dam, 15 ft tall and 30 ft long.
- Surface area
- 650 ac
- Normal storage
- 9,990 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 9,990 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 5.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Thompson, Gary Franciscan Brothers of Peace
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00088 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wilson Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN38-0047-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Wilson Lake
Where is Wilson Lake?
- Wilson 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 Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 10.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 53 ft. Surface area: 650.23 acres.
Is Wilson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wilson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 133 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake has a maximum depth of 53 feet and an average depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 650.23 acres.
What fish are in Wilson Lake?
- Fish species found in Wilson Lake include northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Wilson Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wilson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 11, 2025 caught 20.44 walleye per gill net at Wilson Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wilson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Wilson Lake thaw?
- Wilson Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 210 days.
Are there boat ramps on Wilson Lake?
- Wilson Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wilson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Wilson Lake?
- Wilson 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.
Explore Wilson 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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Compare Wilson Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
35 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA35 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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