Andrew Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota923 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Andrew Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 83 ft max depth
- Public access
Andrew Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 83 ft. Surface area: 922.77 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2024 caught 11.42 walleye per gill net at Andrew Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Andrew Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Andrew Lake is a 923-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 83 feet (29-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Andrew Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Andrew Lake covers about 920 acres in Douglas County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 14, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Andrew Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Andrew Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.9 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
- Deep water83 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Andrew Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Andrew Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Andrew Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Andrew Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.9 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Andrew Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Andrew Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 62 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Andrew Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2024 caught 11.42 walleye per gill net at Andrew Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Andrew Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-25 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-25 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 27.77 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 20.74 | 6–17 in 2024-06-25 | 0.98 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.33 | 5–9 in 2024-06-25 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.17 | 2–9 in 2024-06-25 | 0.25 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.46 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 7.52 | 9–13 in 2024-06-25 | 0.72 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
From the 2024-06-25 survey
Lake Andrew is a 922-acre, moderately fertile basin located a few miles south of Alexandria. Maximum depth exceeds 80 feet. Mean depth is approximately 29 feet. Lake Andrew lies within the Long Prairie River watershed. Water quality and clarity are considered good. Water clarity has increased since establishment of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Andrew Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — AndrewFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — AndrewFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — AndrewPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
83 ft
Average depth
29 ft
Surface area
923 acres
Shoreline
5.6 mi
Littoral zone
35%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,362 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake AndrewPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Andrew Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Andrew Lake in Douglas 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 Andrew Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Andrew 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.47 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.68 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Mar 16, 2002 · Latest May 3, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 3, 2020 · Latest Dec 20, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 3
2021
55 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Andrew Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0085-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Andrew Lake
Where is Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 83 ft. Surface area: 922.77 acres.
Is Andrew Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Andrew Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 62 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake has a maximum depth of 83 feet and an average depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 922.77 acres.
What fish are in Andrew Lake?
- Fish species found in Andrew Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Andrew Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Andrew Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 25, 2024 caught 11.42 walleye per gill net at Andrew Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Andrew Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Andrew Lake thaw?
- Andrew Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Are there boat ramps on Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Andrew. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Andrew Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
69 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA69 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 (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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