Amber Lake
Amber Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 108 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 63.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 182.09 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 182 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 25
- Open water
- 251 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Amber Lake →
Next lake in Martin County
Amber Lake is a 182-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet (11-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Martin County, Amber Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Amber Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 108 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 63.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 70.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 108 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 63.2 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 70 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Amber Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Amber Lake in Martin 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 Amber Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Amber 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 →
Water Temperature
Amber Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 107 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Amber Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Average Depth | 11 ft |
| Surface Area | 182 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 59% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Amber LakePublic
- Chain O' Lakes Yacht ClubSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Amber Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-22 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 44.04 | 0.36 lb |
| Common Carp | 21.39 | 2.88 lb |
| Black Crappie | 15.03 | 0.3 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 12.24 | 0.43 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.35 | 0.17 lb |
| YLB | 7.17 | 0.3 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.
Black Bullhead
Common Carp
Black Crappie
Freshwater Drum
From the 2022-08-22 survey
Amber Lake is a 180 acre lake with a max depth of 19 feet and 108 acres of littoral zone (15 feet or less). Amber Lake is part of the "Fairmont Chain of Lakes" and is within the city limits of Fairmont. The Fairmont Chain of Lakes (from headwaters to mouth) is comprised of Amber Lake, Hall Lake, Budd Lake, Sisseton…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Amber Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AmberFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — AmberFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — AmberPublic 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 | +0.127 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -9.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.29 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (27 observations).
Estimated open water season: 251 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-02-29 (2024) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2017-12-14 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-10
EPA Impairment Status
Amber 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 MN46-0034-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 12 lakes in Martin County
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about Amber Lake
What is the water quality grade for Amber Lake?
- Amber Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 108 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 63.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 182.09 acres.
Is Amber Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Amber Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 63.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Amber Lake?
- Amber Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 107 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Amber Lake?
- Amber Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 182.09 acres.
What fish are in Amber Lake?
- Fish species found in Amber Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, largemouth bass, orangespotted sunfish, quillback, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Amber Lake is located in Martin County, Minnesota.
When does Amber Lake thaw?
- Amber Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 25. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 251 days.
Are there boat ramps on Amber Lake?
- Amber Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Amber Lake, Chain O' Lakes Yacht Club. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Amber Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Martin County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
120 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA120 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 3 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by fluorometer
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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