Beaver Lake
Beaver Lake in Steele County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 97.95 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 98 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Steele County
Beaver Lake is a 98-acre mesotrophic lake in Steele County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2022. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 27 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Beaver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Beaver Lake in Steele 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
Beaver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 47°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Beaver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 98 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Beaver LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Beaver Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 50.59 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 29.03 | 1.27 lb |
| Black Crappie | 9.30 | 0.21 lb |
| Walleye | 4.56 | 1.51 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.74 | 0.13 lb |
| White Crappie | 2.06 | 0.24 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Black Crappie
Walleye
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Beaver Lake is a 94-acre lake located approximately 5 miles northwest of the town of Ellendale in Steele County. Beaver Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet with approximately 45% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency describes the overall condition of Beaver Lake as, "suitable for…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beaver Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeaverFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeaverFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeaverPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Beaver Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Beaver Lake (completed 1939), built primarily for other on the Straight River-TR; gravity-type dam, 11 ft tall.
- Surface area
- 91 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,395 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 21,410 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 0.47 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00410 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Steele County
Nearby Lakes in Steele County
Frequently asked questions about Beaver Lake
What is the water quality grade for Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake in Steele County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 97.95 acres.
Is Beaver Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Beaver Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 97.95 acres.
What fish are in Beaver Lake?
- Fish species found in Beaver Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Beaver Lake is located in Steele County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Beaver Lake?
- Beaver Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Beaver Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory