Belle Lake
Meeker County, Minnesota864 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Belle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Belle Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 863.92 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 9.67 walleye per gill net at Belle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Belle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Belle Lake is a 864-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet (16-foot average). 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, Belle Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Belle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 7
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Belle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Belle Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Belle Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Belle Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 18.7 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 40.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 18.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Belle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Belle Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 321 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Belle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 9.67 walleye per gill net at Belle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Belle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
33 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-22 (Targeted Survey).
33 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-22 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 110.22 | 2–3 in 2008-06-09 | 0.01 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 43.65 | 6–13 in 2024-07-22 | 0.43 lb |
| Walleye | 34.23 | 6–14 in 2025-09-22 | 1.67 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.19 | 4–7 in 2024-07-22 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.51 | 5–7 in 2024-07-22 | 0.14 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.79 | 3–6 in 2016-06-06 | 0.11 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Spottail Shiner
Black Bullhead
Walleye
Black Crappie
From the 2025-09-22 survey
A targeted survey (fall nighttime electrofishing) was conducted on Belle Lake on September 22nd, 2025, to evaluate young of the year (YOY) and yearling Walleye abundance. A total of 27 YOY were sampled for a catch rate of 27.0 fish/hr., which was below the lake's historical (1993 to 2025) median (52.2 fish/hr.). This…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Belle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Belle LakeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Belle LakeFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Belle LakePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Average depth
16 ft
Surface area
864 acres
Shoreline
5.5 mi
Littoral zone
44%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,070 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Belle Lake (East)Public
- Belle Lake (South)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Belle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Belle 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Belle Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Belle Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Belle Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.47 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.9 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 7
Earliest Mar 27, 2021 · Latest May 1, 2018
Typical ice-in
Dec 14
Earliest Nov 28, 2007 · Latest Dec 23, 2022
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2026
14 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Belle Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN47-0049-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Belle Lake
Where is Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake is a lake in Meeker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 18.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 863.92 acres.
Is Belle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Belle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 321 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 863.92 acres.
What fish are in Belle Lake?
- Fish species found in Belle Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Belle Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Belle Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 9.67 walleye per gill net at Belle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–14 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Belle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Belle Lake thaw?
- Belle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 7. Ice typically forms around Dec 14. The open water season is approximately 251 days.
Are there boat ramps on Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Belle Lake (East), Belle Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Belle Lake?
- Belle Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Belle Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Meeker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Belle Lake
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Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Belle Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
94 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA94 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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