Big Pine Lake
Big Pine Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 4728.22 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 76 ft
- Area
- 4,728 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
- Open water
- 212 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Pine Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Big Pine Lake is a 4,728-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 76 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Big Pine Lake ranks #56 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 26 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Big Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Pine 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.
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Big Pine Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Water Temperature
Big Pine Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 157 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Pine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Pine Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (21,878 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 76 ft |
| Surface Area | 4,728 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Pine Lake (West)Public
- Nitche LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Pine 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 37.80 | 0.12 lb |
| White Sucker | 31.24 | 1.65 lb |
| Walleye | 17.99 | 1.65 lb |
| MTS | 12.87 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 9.76 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.52 | 0.22 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.
Yellow Perch
White Sucker
Walleye
Pumpkinseed
From the 2025-06-02 survey
Big Pine Lake is a 4,730-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northeastern Otter Tail County approximately three miles east of Perham, MN. Big Pine Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed and is connected to Little Pine and Rush Lakes via the Otter Tail River. The Otter Tail River inlet is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Pine Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big PineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big PinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.519 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -1.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 212 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-30 (2016) | 2022-05-07 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-10-16 (2002) | 2006-12-01 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-04
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Big Pine Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Big Pine Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Otter Tail River; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 235 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,644 ac
- Normal storage
- 77,120 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 91,580 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 560 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00212 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Big Pine 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 MN56-0130-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #56 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Big Pine Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Big Pine Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 26 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 76 ft. Surface area: 4728.22 acres.
Is Big Pine Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Big Pine Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 157 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 76 feet. The lake covers 4728.22 acres.
What fish are in Big Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Pine Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, common carp, freshwater drum, hybrid sunfish, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Pine Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Big Pine Lake thaw?
- Big Pine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 212 days.
Does Big Pine Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Pine Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (21,878 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Pine Lake (West), Nitche Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Pine Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
305 measurements from 6 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
MNPCA305 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate