Wind Lake
Wind Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 926.08 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 926 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Next lake in Lake County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Wind Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Wind 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 Wind 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.
Wind Lake is a 926-acre lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bluegill, hybrid sunfish, and largemouth bass. No public access — the lake is private or restricted.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-13. 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 Wind Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Wind Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wind 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 Wind Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Surface Area | 926 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 74% |
| Public Access | No |
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 Wind Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-09-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 7.20 | 2.71 lb |
| White Sucker | 6.39 | 1.28 lb |
| Rock Bass | 3.05 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 2.69 | 2.59 lb |
| Bluegill | 1.53 | 0.13 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 1.22 | 1.52 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.
Northern Pike
White Sucker
Rock Bass
Walleye
From the 2011-09-06 survey
Status of the Fishery Wind Lake is located approximately 14 miles NE of Ely, MN and is entirely within the BWCAW. It has a surface area of 1,009 acres and a maximum depth of 32 ft. Wind was thermally stratified on 09/06/2011, the first day of sampling, with a surface temperature of 67.6*F and a bottom temperature of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wind Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WindFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.096 m/yr | 5 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wind Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wind Lake (completed 1900), built primarily for other on the Basswood River-TR; other-type dam, 8 ft tall and 107 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,009 ac
- Normal storage
- 15,232 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 15,232 ac-ft
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- USDA FS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00086 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wind 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 MN38-0642-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Wind Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake in Lake County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 926.08 acres.
Is Wind Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Wind 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 Wind Lake?
- Wind Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 926.08 acres.
What fish are in Wind Lake?
- Fish species found in Wind Lake include bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Wind Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
Explore Wind Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
34 measurements from 11 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
MNPCA34 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (11)
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