Clear Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota399 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Clear Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- 29 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Clear Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 398.77 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 1.00 walleye per trap net at Clear Lake. DNR survey details →
Clear Lake is a 399-acre lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. 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 2025-09-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Clear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 9
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Clear 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 Clear Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Clear Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Clear Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Clear Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 53 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Clear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clear Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (270,396 cells/mL) on December 6, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 1.00 walleye per trap net at Clear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-24 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-24 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 76.62 | 5 in 2024-06-24 | 0.43 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 28.47 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 23.18 | 5–7 in 2024-06-24 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 15.00 | 2–10 in 2024-06-24 | 0.16 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 11.53 | 2–3 in 2024-06-24 | 0.1 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Pumpkinseed
From the 2024-06-24 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Clear Lake was conducted beginning on June 24, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clear Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClearFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clear (1053)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClearFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClearPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
29 ft
Surface area
399 acres
Shoreline
4.2 mi
Littoral zone
38%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,283 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clear LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Clear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clear 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Clear Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clear Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 9
Earliest Apr 7, 1999 · Latest Apr 25, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 24
Earliest Nov 16, 2002 · Latest Dec 7, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 25
2008
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Clear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0559-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Clear Lake
Where is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 398.77 acres.
Is Clear Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 53 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 398.77 acres.
What fish are in Clear Lake?
- Fish species found in Clear Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clear Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Clear Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 1.00 walleye per trap net at Clear Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Clear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Clear Lake thaw?
- Clear Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 9. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Does Clear Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Clear Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (270,396 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Clear Lake?
- Clear Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Clear Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA65 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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