Is Caribou Lake safe to swim?

As of July 20, 2026, Caribou Lake in Cook County, Minnesota is clear to swim. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Rainfall over the past week totaled 0.3 in, which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Caribou Lake is a lake in Cook County, Minnesota covering about 1.1 sq mi, the 361st-largest of the 960 lakes SwimZone monitors in Minnesota. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026.

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) blooms are most common from midsummer into early fall, when the water is warm, calm, and rich in nutrients from runoff. They can produce toxins that make people sick and can be rapidly fatal to dogs, so skip water that looks green, scummy, or like spilled paint, and keep children and pets out of it.

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Caribou Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in September 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 574,835 cells/mL in September 2022.

Is it safe to swim in Caribou Lake right now?

Caribou Lake is clear to swim today. Satellite imagery detected no blue-green algae bloom as of July 19, 2026. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.

Does Caribou Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?

No blue-green algae bloom is detectable at Caribou Lake as of July 19, 2026 (below the satellite's roughly 10,000 cells/mL detection limit). Cyanobacteria can still appear within hours in warm, calm, nutrient-rich water, so look before you swim.

Can dogs swim in Caribou Lake?

No bloom is detected at Caribou Lake today, but dogs are much more vulnerable to blue-green algae than people, and blooms can form within hours. Always keep dogs away from water that looks green, scummy, or discolored, and rinse them off after swimming.

How often does Caribou Lake have blue-green algae blooms?

Over 7 summers of satellite monitoring since 2020, Caribou Lake has reached blue-green algae advisory levels in 6 of them, most recently in September 2025. This is a lake that blooms most summers. Its highest recorded reading was 574,835 cells/mL in September 2022.

How many Minnesota lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?

Today, 307 Minnesota waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 34 more warrant caution, out of 1162 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.

How is Caribou Lake's water quality measured?

SwimZone builds this read from EPA CyAN satellite imagery for blue-green algae, official beach and fecal-bacteria advisories where a program monitors Caribou Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated July 20, 2026.