With lower-than-normal rainfall and higher-than-normal temperatures in the past few weeks, persistent drought and lower lake levels have become common across a large portion of the state.
Much of north-central Minnesota is experiencing storage drought. In years of significant drought, long-term water storage is depleted in lakes, soil and groundwater to a degree that typically takes years to reverse.
Steady drought affects lake levels in Minnesota
SUBSCRIBER CONTENT
Read this article now.
Create a free Outdoor News account.
Create a free account below to get instant access to this article, thousands of Outdoor News stories, and our digital editions. Your 1-month trial starts the moment you sign up.
No credit card required
No credit card required
No credit card required
Subscriber? Login Here.
Share on Social
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Hand-Picked For You
Episode 618 – MN deer opener, DNR Fisheries chief Shannon Fisher, Tony Peterson deer tips, and more
Outdoor News
November 13, 2026
Be aggressive when trying to tag a big-woods bruiser buck
Joe Shead
November 12, 2026
New York Fishing Report – November 6, 2026
Site Staff
November 6, 2026
Lake of the Woods Fishing Report – November 10, 2026
Site Staff
November 10, 2026
South Dakota Fishing Report – November 10, 2026 – video
Site Staff
November 10, 2026
Niagara Falls (N.Y.) Fishing Report – November 10, 2026
Site Staff
November 10, 2026
Related Articles

Christine Thomas: Airedale adventure at Wisconsin’s Lapham Peak
Christine Thomas
November 13, 2026
“Major has an appointment with his cardiologist on October 21,” I told Sue Zimmer over the phone. “If you are

Commentary: A century of wilderness in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters
Kevin Proescholdt
November 13, 2026
One hundred years ago, in September 1926, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture William Jardine provided the first wilderness designation for the

Episode 618 – MN deer opener, DNR Fisheries chief Shannon Fisher, Tony Peterson deer tips, and more
Outdoor News
November 13, 2026
Minnesota’s Nov. 7 firearms deer opener began with a bang, or at least the crack of a rifle… and a