Andrew Lake
Andrew Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 13.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 83 ft
- Area
- 923 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 233 days
Next lake in Douglas County
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). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Andrew Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 83 ft |
| Average Depth | 29 ft |
| Surface Area | 923 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake AndrewPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 27.77 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.74 | 0.98 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 15.33 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 12.17 | 0.25 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 10.46 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 7.52 | 0.72 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.035 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.68 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (55 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2002-03-16 (2002) | 2018-05-03 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2020-11-03 (2020) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2021-04-03
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0085-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Andrew Lake
What is the water quality grade for Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Andrew Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Andrew Lake?
- Andrew Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Andrew Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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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)
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