Lake · Itasca County · MN
Is Little Winnibigoshish Lake safe to swim?
Satellite data here is inconclusive; check local advisories before swimming.
Updated August 20, 2026 · EPA CyAN satellite
No bacteria advisory or sampling for this water.
Satellite imagery hints at possible blue-green algae, but this read is low-confidence (few clear pixels or an aging image) and is not confirmed by a water sample. Avoid scummy or discolored water and check your state or county health department.
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Conditions at Little Winnibigoshish Lake are borderline right now.
Get a push the moment it tips into an advisory, and again the day it clears.
What's in the water at Little Winnibigoshish Lake right now
As of August 20, 2026, Little Winnibigoshish Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota carries a swim caution. EPA's CyAN satellite showed a possible blue-green algae signal here (August 19, 2026), but the read is low-confidence and is not confirmed by a water sample. Modeled rainfall over the past week was about 1.9 in (Open-Meteo, a gridded estimate that can differ from a local gauge), which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.
Blue-green algae at Little Winnibigoshish Lake
Little Winnibigoshish Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota covering about 1.3 sq mi, the 314th-largest of the 975 lakes SwimZone monitors in Minnesota. EPA's CyAN satellite showed a possible blue-green algae signal here (August 19, 2026), but the read is low-confidence and is not confirmed by a water sample.
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.
Bloom history at Little Winnibigoshish Lake
From EPA CyAN's satellite archive
Each bar is that summer's peak EPA CyAN satellite estimate (log scale); the red cap is the part above the bloom-level threshold. Satellite estimates, not water samples or posted advisories.
Over 7 summers of EPA CyAN satellite imagery since 2020, Little Winnibigoshish Lake has shown a satellite-estimated bloom-level signal in 6 of them, most recently in August 2025. It shows a bloom-level signal most summers. Its highest satellite estimate was about 1,100,000 cells/mL in August 2021. These are satellite estimates, not water samples or posted advisories; check your state or county health department for official status.
When to swim at Little Winnibigoshish Lake
It is currently peak season for blue-green algae, when warm, calm water lets blooms form fastest. This lake has bloomed in most monitored summers (6 of 7), historically peaking around August. Early summer, before the water fully warms, has generally been the safer window here; check the current read before you go either way.
Frequently asked: swimming in Little Winnibigoshish Lake
- Is it safe to swim in Little Winnibigoshish Lake right now?
- Little Winnibigoshish Lake carries a swim caution today. EPA's CyAN satellite showed a possible blue-green algae signal here (August 19, 2026), but the read is low-confidence and is not confirmed by a water sample. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.
- Does Little Winnibigoshish Lake have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?
- Unclear. EPA's CyAN satellite showed a possible blue-green algae signal at Little Winnibigoshish Lake on August 19, 2026, but the read is low-confidence and is not confirmed by a water sample. Avoid any scummy or discolored water and check your state or county health department.
- Can dogs swim in Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Be careful. The satellite signal at Little Winnibigoshish Lake is low-confidence and unconfirmed, but dogs are much more vulnerable to blue-green algae than people. Keep them away from any green, scummy, or discolored water and check local advisories.
- How often does Little Winnibigoshish Lake have blue-green algae blooms?
- Over 7 summers of EPA CyAN satellite imagery since 2020, Little Winnibigoshish Lake has shown a satellite-estimated bloom-level signal in 6 of them, most recently in August 2025. It shows a bloom-level signal most summers. Its highest satellite estimate was about 1,100,000 cells/mL in August 2021. These are satellite estimates, not water samples or posted advisories; check your state or county health department for official status.
- How many Minnesota lakes and beaches are unsafe for swimming today?
- Today, 0 Minnesota waters are above a safe-contact threshold and 451 more warrant caution, out of 1178 monitored waters SwimZone tracks in the state.
- How is Little Winnibigoshish 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 Little Winnibigoshish Lake, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated August 20, 2026.
Before you swim: the basics
Swim spots near Little Winnibigoshish Lake
All Minnesota →Of the 6 monitored waters nearest Little Winnibigoshish Lake, 1 is flagged today.
| Water | Distance | Today | Algae read | Sampled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ball Club LakeLake · Itasca County | 5.6 mi | No advisory | None detected | Aug 19 |
| Little Cut Foot Sioux LakeLake · Itasca County | 6.3 mi | No advisory | None detected | Aug 19 |
| Cut Foot Sioux LakeLake · Itasca County | 6.6 mi | No advisory | None detected | Aug 19 |
| Lake WinnibigoshishLake · Cass County | 8.2 mi | Use caution | Unconfirmed | Aug 19 |
| Sixmile LakeLake · Cass County | 9.2 mi | No advisory | None detected | Aug 19 |
| Pigeon Dam LakeLake · Itasca County | 9.3 mi | No advisory | None detected | Jul 21 |