Arvilla Lake
Arvilla Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 133 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 82.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 137.85 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 138 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 7
- Open water
- 231 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Arvilla Lake →
Next lake in Meeker County
Arvilla Lake is a 138-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Arvilla Lake ranks #16 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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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 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 133 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 82.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 133 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 82.8 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Arvilla Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Arvilla Lake in Meeker 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 Arvilla Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Arvilla Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 138 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Arville LakePublic
- Little Swan LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Arvilla Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 84.95 | 0.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.16 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.41 | 0.29 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.23 | 2.63 lb |
| White Crappie | 5.04 | 0.23 lb |
| Common Carp | 4.85 | 3.03 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2018-07-09 survey
A standard survey was conducted at Arvilla Lake beginning on 7/09/18 to monitor the lake's fish population and evaluate the Walleye fry stocking regime. Arvilla is a class 43 lake and net catches were compared to similar lakes around the state. The 2014 lake management plan (LMP) lists Black Crappie, Northern Pike,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Arvilla Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ArvillaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ArvillaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ArvillaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.781 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +4.45 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.43 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 231 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-13 (2016) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-12 (2014) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-16
EPA Impairment Status
Arvilla 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 MN47-0023-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Arvilla 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 Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Arvilla Lake
What is the water quality grade for Arvilla Lake?
- Arvilla Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 133 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 82.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 137.85 acres.
Is Arvilla 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. Arvilla Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 82.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Arvilla Lake?
- Arvilla Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 137.85 acres.
What fish are in Arvilla Lake?
- Fish species found in Arvilla Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Arvilla Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
When does Arvilla Lake thaw?
- Arvilla Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 231 days.
Are there boat ramps on Arvilla Lake?
- Arvilla Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arville Lake, Little Swan Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Arvilla Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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