Wynne Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota279 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Wynne Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 52 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Wynne Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 278.87 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2016 caught 2.11 walleye per gill net at Wynne Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–27 inches. DNR survey details →
Wynne Lake is a 279-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and cisco species. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Wynne Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Wynne Lake covers about 280 acres in St. Louis County. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Wynne Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Wynne Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water52 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Wynne Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Wynne 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 Wynne Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Wynne Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft. Phosphorus 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.5 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.5µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Wynne Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Wynne Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 52°F) and coldest in May (about 46°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (46°F) to its warmest (52°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 162 field readings (2019–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wynne Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2016 caught 2.11 walleye per gill net at Wynne Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–27 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wynne Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-08-08 (Standard Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2016-08-08 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 6.22 | 6–10 in 2006-08-07 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.34 | 4–12 in 2016-08-08 | 0.3 lb |
| Bluegill | 2.09 | 6–8 in 2016-08-08 | 0.37 lb |
| Walleye | 1.90 | 6–27 in 2016-08-08 | 0.72 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.84 | 11–19 in 2016-08-08 | 2.3 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.56 | 16–35 in 2016-08-08 | 1.56 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)
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2016-08-08 survey
Wynne Lake is a 278 acre lake located just northwest of the city of Biwabik. It is accessed by a ramp on the north end of the lake. It has a maximum depth of 52 feet and dark brown water. in August 2016, oxygen levels were adequate for fish to a depth of 27 feet. Wynne Lake is relatively developed with year round and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wynne Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WynneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WynnePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
52 ft
Surface area
279 acres
Shoreline
6.2 mi
Littoral zone
25%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Wynne Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wynne Lake in St. Louis 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 Wynne Lake
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Follow Wynne Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wynne Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 14, 2005 · Latest May 4, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 10, 2014 · Latest Dec 14, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 17
2015
14 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wynne Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wynne Lake (completed 1944), built primarily for other on the Embarrass River; gravity-type dam, 15 ft tall and 119 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 6,975 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 7,712 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 145.5 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00098 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wynne 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: Cultural, Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0434-02 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Wynne Lake
Where is Wynne Lake?
- Wynne Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Wynne Lake?
- Wynne Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 278.87 acres.
Is Wynne Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Wynne Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, salinity / chlorides. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Wynne Lake?
- Wynne Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in September, from 162 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wynne Lake?
- Wynne Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet. The lake covers 278.87 acres.
What fish are in Wynne Lake?
- Fish species found in Wynne Lake include black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Wynne Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Wynne Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 8, 2016 caught 2.11 walleye per gill net at Wynne Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–27 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Wynne Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Wynne Lake thaw?
- Wynne Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 216 days.
Can I fish at Wynne Lake?
- Public access to Wynne Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Wynne 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 St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Lake Vermilion Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
34 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA34 samples · 2020–2021
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate