Bella Lake
Bella Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 636 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 145 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 179.51 acres.
- Clarity
- 1 ft
- Max depth
- 14 ft
- Area
- 180 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Nobles County
Why Bella 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 Bella Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, 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.
Bella Lake is a 180-acre lake in Nobles County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-28. 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 Bella Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 636 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 145 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 85.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 636 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 145 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 85 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Bella Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bella Lake in Nobles 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 Bella Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft |
| Surface Area | 180 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake BellaPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bella Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-16 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 2857.14 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 47.47 | 0.19 lb |
| Common Carp | 14.35 | 2.65 lb |
| Bigmouth Buffalo | 12.90 | 4.7 lb |
| White Crappie | 12.80 | 0.36 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 5.07 | 0.9 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
Common Carp
Bigmouth Buffalo
White Crappie
From the 2023-05-16 survey
Bella Lake is a 182-acre reservoir located 8 miles south of the City of Worthington, in Nobles County. On a year with average water level fluctuations, the lake has a maximum depth of 14 ft. Bella Lake serves as an aquifer replenishment reservoir for Worthington municipal water supplies, and thus has substantial water…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bella Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BellaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BellaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BellaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Bella Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Bella (completed 1971), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Ocheydan River; earth-type dam, 28 ft tall and 924 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 1,150 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,220 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 67 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- WD of Okabena-Ocheda
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00316 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Bella 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 MN53-0045-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Bella Lake
Bella Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Nobles County
Frequently asked questions about Bella Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bella Lake?
- Bella Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 636 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 145 µg/L. Maximum depth: 14 ft. Surface area: 179.51 acres.
Is Bella Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Bella Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 145 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Bella Lake?
- Bella Lake has a maximum depth of 14 feet. The lake covers 179.51 acres.
What fish are in Bella Lake?
- Fish species found in Bella Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bella Lake is located in Nobles County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Bella Lake?
- Bella Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Bella. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bella Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA4 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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