Bowstring Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Bowstring Lake is mapped to a depth of 30 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 9,527 acres in Itasca County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1978.
Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 30 ft
- Survey year
- 1978
- Surface area
- 9,527 acres
- Shoreline
- 31.42 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 1% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Trailer Launch · Bowstring Lake (NE) Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site · 2 more
Additional depth details6 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–30 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 30 ft, 25 ft, 25 ft, 20 ft
Provenance
Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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Map details & sources4 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 47.53613, -93.90525
- MN DNR lake ID
- 31081300
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.3 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25Bowstring Lake has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, long open-water fetch, some nearby classified roads.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Excellent | 32.0 of 35 | 87% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (20% forest, 65% wetland; 6% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Modest | 1.5 of 29 | mean fetch 5,668 m · 2% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long open-water fetch |
| Motor & speed rules | Not modeled | — | Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out. |
| Public access | Good | 15.0 of 18 | 3 DNR public access sites · boat ramp |
| Road isolation | Good | 10.3 of 18 | some nearby classified roads · 17 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 384 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 1% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- High — 20% forest and 65% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys13 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Silver Redhorse
White Sucker
Shorthead Redhorse
About these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide
Fishery
surveyed 2014Gamefish Walleye 271 · Northern Pike 99 · Bowfin 13
Panfish Yellow Perch 214 · Black Crappie 156 · Bluegill 8
All survey species13 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Infested waters listing
2 confirmedMussels & snails
- Faucet SnailConfirmed in this water in 2012 (listed 2015).
Zebra MusselConfirmed in this water in 2020 (listed 2020).
How to identify invasive species in Minnesota lakes →
What does the infested waters list mean?
The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html
Bowstring Lake — common questions
How deep is Bowstring Lake?
The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Bowstring Lake is 30 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Bowstring Lake?
Bowstring Lake covers about 9,527 acres in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What fish are in Bowstring Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include northern pike, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin, brown bullhead. The page lists all 13 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Bowstring Lake?
Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists 3 public access sites on Bowstring Lake: Bowstring Lake (NE) Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Bowstring Lake (NW) Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Bowstring Lake (S) Public Water Access Site (boat ramp).
