Beauty Lake
Beauty Lake in Todd County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 240.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 240 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
Next lake in Todd County
Why Beauty Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Beauty Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Beauty Lake is a 240-acre lake in Todd County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Beauty Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Beauty Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beauty Lake in Todd 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 Beauty Lake
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Water Temperature
Beauty Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 65 field readings (2016–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beauty Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Average Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 240 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beauty LakePublic
- Mill LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beauty Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
18 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 35.29 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.60 | 1.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.43 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 9.03 | 0.31 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 8.49 | 0.65 lb |
| CNM | 4.83 | — |
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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2025-06-10 survey
Beauty Lake (DOW# 77-0035-00; Lake Class 31) is a 238-acre lake located near Long Prairie, Minnesota. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the southeast shore. Beauty Lake has 3.55 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake is primarily managed for…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beauty Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeautyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Beauty (0897)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeautyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeautyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.328 m/yr | 4 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-06 (2015) | 2002-04-15 (2002) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-07 (2003) | 2002-11-11 (2002) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-06
Graded lakes near Beauty Lake
Beauty Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Todd County
Frequently asked questions about Beauty Lake
What is the water quality grade for Beauty Lake?
- Beauty Lake in Todd County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 240.06 acres.
Is Beauty Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Beauty Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Beauty Lake?
- Beauty Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 65 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beauty Lake?
- Beauty Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 240.06 acres.
What fish are in Beauty Lake?
- Fish species found in Beauty Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Beauty Lake is located in Todd County, Minnesota.
When does Beauty Lake thaw?
- Beauty Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10.
Are there boat ramps on Beauty Lake?
- Beauty Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beauty Lake, Mill Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Beauty Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Todd County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
59 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA58 samples · 2020–2023 - Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
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