Alice Lake
Alice Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 494 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 254 µg/L. Surface area: 15 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Area
- 15 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Alice Lake →
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Alice Lake is a 15-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Alice Lake ranks #66 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria B
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.
Based on E. coli testing, Alice Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.8% of 36 samples across 3 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 0.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 494 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 254 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 86.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 494 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 254 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 86 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Alice Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Alice Lake in Otter Tail 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Alice Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Alice Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Alice Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Mar (about 37°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 188 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Alice Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 15 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Alice Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
- Robert Hannah Recreational AreaPublic
Fishing Alice Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.024 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +41 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +30.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Alice Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Central (Wright) (completed 1921), built primarily for hydroelectric on the Ottertail River; gravity-type dam, 26 ft tall and 183 ft long.
- Surface area
- 15 ac
- Normal storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 400 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,250 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Otter Tail Power Company
All listed purposes: Hydroelectric;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00195 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.94 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Alice Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0867-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
2 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Alice Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 1 classified by the EPA as major discharger.
- Fergus Falls WwtpFergus Falls · 1.8 mi away · NPDES MN0050628Major
- Del Monte Foods Inc - Sleepy Eye Plant 114Fergus Falls · 0.6 mi away · NPDES MN0001171
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #66 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Alice Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Alice Lake
What is the water quality grade for Alice Lake?
- Alice Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 494 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 254 µg/L. Surface area: 15 acres.
Is Alice Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, Alice Lake rarely exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 2.8% of 36 samples across 3 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of B — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. Alice Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Alice Lake?
- Alice Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 188 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Are there boat ramps on Alice Lake?
- Alice Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Robert Hannah Recreational Area. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
1,876 measurements from 10 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
MNPCA1,876 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (10)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory