Lakes Data for Minnesota
Water Resources Home |
Lakes | Rivers & Streams |
Watersheds | Wetlands |
Miscellaneous
A wealth of GIS data delineates and describes Minnesota's lakes. Available data sets include the federally-sponsored National Hydrography Dataset and the Minnesota
DNR's
1:24,000-scale lake delineations, Public Waters Inventory delineations, and lake
bathymetry. The MPCA maintains extensive lake water quality data
collections. DNR's LakeFinder site
links users to lakes information produced by many state agencies, including
general characteristics, fisheries resources, lake levels, lake depth, water
quality, water consumption advisories, and invasive species.
Categories
Hydrography/Bathymetry: GIS data and maps that include both lake boundary delineation and depth information
Quality: Data concerned primarily with lake water quality
General: Miscellaneous lake data
Hydrography/Bathymetry
Name |
Source* |
Geographic Area |
Scale |
Time Period |
Data Type |
Description |
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|
USGS |
Nationwide | 1:24,000 | Current | Vector GIS | |
|
The National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) is a national framework database of digital surface water features that are combined into "reaches" and a reach-addressing system that provides a way to link water-related data to the surface drainage network. These links also enable the display and analysis of water data in upstream and downstream order. |
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DNR Waters |
Statewide | 1:24,000 | 1990 | Vector GIS | |
|
Lake polygons derived from the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) open water and fringe wetland polygons and Mn/DOT Basemap lake delineations. Spatially integrated with the DNR 24K Streams Layer. |
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|
DNR Waters |
Statewide | 1:24,000 | 1970s | Vector GIS | |
| The Public Waters Inventory (PWI) was a legal process initiated in the 1970s which counties used to designate lakes, wetlands, and rivers as protected, or public, according to legislative guidelines. Data are available via the DNR Data Deli and are tiled by county. | |||||
|
DNR Waters |
Statewide | Various (county level) | 1970s | Georeferenced PDF | |
| Scanned, georeferenced PDF-format files of the official Public Waters Inventory (PWI) Maps, as well as official lists of PWI rivers, lakes, and wetlands, are available for download. | |||||
|
Lake Bathymetry: |
DNR Ecological Resources, Fisheries, and MIS |
Selected lakes | Various | 1991-92 and other |
Raster or Vector GIS |
|
A group of related datasets that can be used alone or in combination for mapping and morphometric analyses (i.e., surface area, shoreline length). |
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| NOAA | Lake Superior coastline | 2011 | LiDAR (several formats; see processing info) | ||
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Hydrographic and topographic data collected along the Lake Superior coast of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Data extends offshore from the shoreline to extinction depth or 1 km, whichever is closer, and onshore from the shoreline to 30 meters. |
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| NRRI | Lake Superior | 1:547,160 | 1998 | Raster GIS | |
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1 km grid surface generated from depth point values. |
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| USGS, NTDB | Lake Superior Basin and 50 km buffer | Not provided | Not provided | Raster GIS | |
|
1 km grid. Dataset buffer includes parts of Ontario, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. |
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Digital Line Graph (DLG) Hydrography
|
USGS - National Mapping Division |
Nationwide | 1:100,000 | Various | Vector GIS |
|
This dataset represents all features represented as 'lakes' or 'reservoirs' on the USGS 1:100,000- scale topographic map series. LMIC and the DNR made various changes to the DLG Hydrography Extract, such as data conversion to Arc/Info, edge-matching, and adding state lake identifiers. |
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|
USGS |
North America | 1:2,000,000 | Various | Vector GIS, Table, GeoTIFF | |
| This link opens the Water category of the National Atlas Data Catalog where various generalized water data such as 'Streams and Waterbodies' may be downloaded. | |||||
Quality
Name |
Source* |
Geographic Area |
Scale |
Time Period |
Data Type |
Description |
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| PCA: Lakes in Minnesota |
PCA |
Statewide | N/A | Ongoing | Text |
| This page contains links to lake water quality information on the PCA website. | |||||
| Lake Water Quality Assessment Program |
PCA |
Statewide | N/A | Ongoing | Text |
| The program assesses 3100 lakes in Minnesota and produces individual lake assessments and county-based reports that are updated annually. The reports provide lake water quality criteria and information which can be used by those involved in lake management, such as lakeshore owners and lake associations. | |||||
| LakeFinder |
DNR, MDH, PCA and U of M - WRRC and Remote Sensing Laboratory |
Statewide | Various | Various | Web Application |
| LakeFinder accesses geographic and attribute information on more than 4,500 lakes and rivers searchable by lake and/or county. Information includes basic lake characteristics, fish population and consumption advice, lake depth, water levels, water quality and clarity, and invasive species infestation. | |||||
| How's My Waterway? |
EPA |
Nationwide | Various | Current | Web Application |
| Learn the condition of local lakes, streams and other waters quickly and in plain language using a smart phone, tablet or desktop computer. See if local waterways were checked for pollution, what was found, and what is being done. Information source: State water quality monitoring reports. | |||||
General
Name |
Source* |
Geographic Area |
Scale |
Time Period |
Data Type |
Description |
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| DNR Lakes Information |
DNR Waters |
Statewide | N/A | 6/2/2000 | Text |
| The DNR homepage on lakes, providing links to lake recreation, resource and regulation information. | |||||
| LAKES-DB |
DNR Waters |
Statewide | N/A | Current | Table |
|
This data table lists the major attributes of lakes and wetlands, by DNR Waters Division lake number, as extracted from the DNR database LAKES-DB. LAKES-DB serves as the official list of lake identifiers and names for the state. |
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| Hydrography Basin Standard |
Gov. Council |
Statewide | N/A | Current | Text |
| This standard is for designating identification codes for state lakes and wetlands in GIS and other data applications. | |||||
| Lake (depth) Mapping in Minnesota |
DNR Ecological Resources |
Statewide | N/A | 8/24/1999 | Text |
| Lake mapping provides a visual representation of the shape and depth of Minnesota lakes, as well as important information about the lake ecosystem. | |||||
| LakeFinder |
DNR, MDH, PCA and U of M - WRRC and Remote Sensing Laboratory |
Statewide | Various | Various | Web Application |
| LakeFinder accesses geographic and attribute information on more than 4,500 lakes and rivers searchable by lake and/or county. Information includes basic lake characteristics, fish population and consumption advice, lake depth, lake levels, water quality and clarity, and invasive species infestation. | |||||
| DNR Data Deli Catalog |
DNR |
Statewide | N/A | Current | Vector GIS |
| This webpage lists all the links to DNR data available for download from their Data Deli. Look under Hydrography for water resources data. | |||||
- DNR = Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (may be followed by the division name, e.g., "Waters" for "Division of Waters")
- Gov. Council = Minnesota Governor's Council on Geographic Information
- MDH = Minnesota Department of Health
- NOAA = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NRRI = Natural Resources Research Institute
- NTDB = National Topographic Data Base of Canada
- PCA = Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- U of M = University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Campus
- USGS = United States Geological Survey (may be followed by the division name, e.g., "National Mapping Division")
- WRRC = Water Resources Research Center (University of Minnesota)