Whitefish Chain Lake Conditions
A summary of the conditions on the Whitefish Chain of Lakes in Crosslake, MN.
| Ice Out (Whitefish) | Actual: April 7, 2024 |
| Water Temperature | 52 F (Lower Whitefish) | updated 12/29/2024 12:52 |
| Current Lake Elevation | 1228.20 feet above sea level (Pine River Dam in Crosslake) |
| Last Update | curlGET failed, http-code: 500 |
| The lake is currently | 9.6 inches below the summer target |
| Current Inflow | 166 cfs |
| Current Outflow | 224 cfs |
Current and historical elevations at the Pine River dam in Crosslake: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/waters/csg/site.html?id=18031200
The Whitefish Chain of Lakes is a reservoir and the water level is controlled by the Pine River Dam in Crosslake, MN. The Pine River Dam is currently managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and began operation in 1886 to provide flood control in the Upper Mississippi River Headwaters Region. The Pine River flows into the Mississippi River approximately 9 miles south of Crosslake. Reservoirs have advantages over natural lakes in terms of water level consistency. During a normal boating season, water levels fluctuate only 1-2 inches on the Whitefish Chain. The fluctuation can be greater during very wet or very dry years. Water levels are typically reduced 18-24 inches in the winter to accommodate snow melt and spring rains. Lower water levels during the spring melt also minimize shoreline and property damage caused by ice sheets that can be blown ashore. In most years, the summer target water elevation of 1229.32 feet is achieved in April or May and maintained through October. Whitefish Chain conditions are highly dependent on the Pine River Dam.
Whitefish Chain Reservoir fun facts:
| Water surface area | 13,700 acres |
| Drainage area | 562 square miles |
| Normal reservoir storage | 101,340 acre-ft = 33,026,706,000 gallons ~ 33 trillion gallons |
| Max reservoir storage | 187,700 acre-ft = 61,171,430,000 gallons ~ 61 trillion gallons |
| Max discharge | 16,300 cfs | Current discharge: curlGET failed, http-code: 500 cfs |