Lake · Itasca County · MN

Is Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin safe to swim?

No advisory

No advisory or algae bloom reported for this water today.

Updated August 20, 2026 · EPA CyAN satellite

Recent rain (modeled)
0.6 in
Water type
Lake
Last updated
Aug 20
Bacteria
E. coli, fecal
Not monitored
Tested
Not monitored

No bacteria advisory or sampling for this water.

Blue-green algae
cyanobacteria
No advisory
Tested
None detected
Advisory over
100,000
cells/mL

No blue-green algae bloom detected in the latest clear satellite image. This is a satellite estimate, not a safety guarantee, and does not replace an official advisory.

Satellite estimate · imaged Aug 19 · EPA CyAN satellite · low confidence
An estimate from EPA CyAN satellite imagery, not a water sample or an official advisory. Check your state or county health department for the official status. Report a data question.

SwimZone for iPhone · launching soon

Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin is clear today. Be the first to know when it's not.

SwimZone checks this water every day and pings you the moment a bacteria or algae advisory goes up.

What's in the water at Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin right now

As of August 20, 2026, Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin in Itasca County, Minnesota has no advisory posted. EPA's CyAN satellite detected no blue-green algae bloom in the latest clear image (August 19, 2026), which is an estimate, not a guarantee. Modeled rainfall over the past week was about 0.6 in (Open-Meteo, a gridded estimate that can differ from a local gauge), which can wash bacteria and nutrients into the water.

How this read is built

Blue-green algae at Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin

Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota covering about 0.5 sq mi, the 767th-largest of the 975 lakes SwimZone monitors in Minnesota. EPA's CyAN satellite detected no blue-green algae bloom in the latest clear image (August 19, 2026), which is an estimate, not a guarantee.

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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin

From EPA CyAN's satellite archive

2020: peak satellite estimate about 720,000 cells/mL, above the ~100k bloom-level threshold202021: peak satellite estimate about 1,100,000 cells/mL, above the ~100k bloom-level threshold212223242025: peak satellite estimate about 480,000 cells/mL, above the ~100k bloom-level threshold2526Bloom level~100k cells/mL

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, Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin has shown a satellite-estimated bloom-level signal in 3 of them, most recently in September 2025. 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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin

It is currently peak season for blue-green algae, when warm, calm water lets blooms form fastest. This lake has bloomed in 3 of 7 monitored summers, 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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin

Is it safe to swim in Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin right now?
Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin has no advisory posted today. EPA's CyAN satellite detected no blue-green algae bloom in the latest clear image (August 19, 2026), which is an estimate, not a guarantee. Conditions can change quickly with wind, heat, and rain, so check the posted signs and look at the water before you get in.
Does Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin have blue-green algae (cyanobacteria)?
EPA's CyAN satellite detected no blue-green algae bloom at Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin in the latest clear image (August 19, 2026). This is a satellite estimate below the sensor's detection limit, not a guarantee: cyanobacteria can appear within hours in warm, calm, nutrient-rich water, so look before you swim.
Can dogs swim in Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin?
No bloom is detected at Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin 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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin have blue-green algae blooms?
Over 7 summers of EPA CyAN satellite imagery since 2020, Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin has shown a satellite-estimated bloom-level signal in 3 of them, most recently in September 2025. 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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin'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 Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin, and a recent-rainfall overlay, all refreshed daily. It was last updated August 20, 2026.

Before you swim: the basics

Swim spots near Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin

All Minnesota

Of the 6 monitored waters nearest Nspc Stage Two Tailings Basin, 2 are flagged today.

WaterDistanceTodayAlgae readSampled
Reservoir TwoReservoir · Itasca County1.0 miUse cautionUnconfirmedAug 19
Nspc Initial Tailings BasinLake · St. Louis County2.1 miNo advisoryNone detectedAug 19
Swan LakeLake · Itasca County5.8 miNo advisoryNone detectedAug 19
Lower Panaca LakeLake · Itasca County8.7 miUse cautionUnconfirmedAug 19
Twin LakesLake · Itasca County11 miNo advisoryNone detectedJul 21
Shoal LakeLake · Itasca County11 miNo advisoryNone detectedAug 19