Berger Lake
Berger Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- ~49 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 9
- Open water
- 231 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Berger Lake →
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Berger Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 49 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Berger Lake ranks #65 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-18. 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus level: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 16.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 57.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 40 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 16.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 57 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Berger Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Berger Lake in Otter Tail 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Berger Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Berger Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Berger Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°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 14 field readings (2011–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Berger Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~49 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~7 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Berger Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Berger Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.215 m/yr | 2 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (11 observations).
Estimated open water season: 231 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2002-03-31 (2002) | 2008-04-24 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-11 (2003) | 2006-11-30 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-04-24
EPA Impairment Status
Berger Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0386-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.14 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #65 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Berger Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Berger Lake
What is the water quality grade for Berger Lake?
- Berger Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 40 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 16.5 µg/L.
Is Berger Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Berger Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 16.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Berger Lake?
- Berger Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Berger Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Berger Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 49 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
When does Berger Lake thaw?
- Berger Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 231 days.
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Where this data comes from
14 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA14 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate