Alexander Lake
Alexander Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 2708.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.5 ft
- Max depth
- 64 ft
- Area
- 2,709 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 225 days
Next lake in Morrison County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Alexander Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Alexander Lake is a 2,709-acre mesotrophic lake in Morrison County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 64 feet (28-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 7 other monitored lakes in Morrison County, Alexander Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Alexander Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Alexander Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alexander Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Alexander Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Alexander Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (131,826 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 64 ft |
| Average Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,709 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 16.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 31% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Alexander Lake (East)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Alexander Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
28 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 71.16 | — |
| Walleye | 60.13 | 1.51 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 31.30 | — |
| OTM | 25.00 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 22.23 | 0.91 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.23 | 0.14 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-09-19 survey
Lake Alexander (DOW# 49-0079-00; Lake Class 22) is a 2,708-acre lake located near Randall, Minnesota. There are two Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramps located on the east and west shores. Lake Alexander has 16.26 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 64 feet. The lake is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Alexander Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AlexanderFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Alexander (1917)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — AlexanderFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — AlexanderPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.126 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (147 observations).
Estimated open water season: 225 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-16 (2024) | 2013-05-14 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1994-10-30 (1994) | 1998-12-21 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
EPA Impairment Status
Alexander Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN49-0079-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 8 lakes in Morrison County
Nearby Lakes in Morrison County
Frequently asked questions about Alexander Lake
What is the water quality grade for Alexander Lake?
- Alexander Lake in Morrison County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 64 ft. Surface area: 2708.77 acres.
Is Alexander Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Alexander Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Alexander Lake?
- Alexander Lake has a maximum depth of 64 feet and an average depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 2708.77 acres.
What fish are in Alexander Lake?
- Fish species found in Alexander Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Alexander Lake is located in Morrison County, Minnesota.
When does Alexander Lake thaw?
- Alexander Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Does Alexander Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Alexander Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (131,826 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Alexander Lake?
- Alexander Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Alexander Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Alexander Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Morrison County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Alexander Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Alexander Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
179 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA179 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate