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F

Arvilla Lake

Meeker County, MinnesotaHypereutrophic

Arvilla Lake grades an F: every scored parameter (clarity and phosphorus) rates poorly, placing it among the most stressed lakes monitored in Minnesota. clarity and phosphorus rate similarly, so there is no obvious single lever to pull on watershed management.

Hypereutrophic conditions mean the lake is operating at the upper end of the productivity scale, with all the bloom risk that implies. Arvilla Lake is a shallow lake at 9 ft maximum depth, which means it warms quickly, mixes constantly, and amplifies nutrient inputs. At 138 acres, Arvilla Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 2.3 miles of shoreline. Arvilla Lake ranks 20 of 23 in Meeker County — at the lower end of the locally monitored distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Arvilla Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery includes walleye among the lake's 16 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 19 times at Arvilla Lake, with a median around Apr 7. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated

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Swimming Safety

Avoid swimming, very poor water quality, potential algae toxins

Water Quality Grade: F, Very Poor

Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 133 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 76.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)1 ftF
Phosphorus133 µg/LF
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)76Hypereutrophic

Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth9 ft
Surface Area137.85 acres
Shoreline Length2.3 mi
Littoral Zone100%
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

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

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Arvilla Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Arvilla Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Arvilla Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Water Quality Trend: Stable

Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+2.03 m/yr4
Phosphorus Declining+3.17 µg/L/yr4
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 7
Typical Ice-In
Nov 24

Estimated open water season: 231 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2016-03-13 (2016)2018-04-29 (2018)
Ice-In2014-11-12 (2014)2015-12-19 (2015)

Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-16

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #20 of 23 lakes in Meeker County

Cleaner Lakes Within 30 Miles

Arvilla Lake holds Grade F. 5 nearby lakes hold higher grades.

See full comparison →

Nearby Lakes in Meeker County

Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-09 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Black Bullhead84.950.39 lb
Bluegill16.160.16 lb
Black Crappie10.410.29 lb
Northern Pike5.232.63 lb
White Crappie5.040.23 lb
Common Carp4.853.03 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

221 fish · 512 in · 2018-07-09
11256056789101112

Bluegill

413 fish · 38 in · 2018-07-09
196980345678

Black Crappie

147 fish · 211 in · 2018-07-09
40200trophy 10234567891011

Northern Pike

118 fish · 1437 in · 2018-07-09
1370trophy 36141618202224262830323436

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,…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Arvilla Lake. 3 reports on file.

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

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0023-00 · Official waterbody report

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2022-09-18

Monitoring stations: 1