Clitherall Lake
Clitherall Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 2539.81 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.1 ft
- Max depth
- 69 ft
- Area
- 2,540 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 233 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Clitherall Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Clitherall Lake is a 2,540-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 69 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Clitherall Lake ranks #21 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Clitherall Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clitherall 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 69 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,540 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 32% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Clitherall 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 130.51 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 76.74 | — |
| Bluegill | 39.67 | 0.12 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 15.88 | 1.69 lb |
| Rock Bass | 10.91 | 0.3 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.89 | 0.14 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.
Bluegill
Smallmouth Bass
Rock Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-15 survey
Clitherall Lake is a 2,493-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately one mile south of Clitherall, MN. Clitherall Lake is connected to Crane Lake via a non-navigable inlet along the south shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Clitherall Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClitherallFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clitherall (1190)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClitherallFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClitherallPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.141 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.22 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (25 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-15 (2024) | 2008-05-04 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-22 (2002) | 2023-12-30 (2023) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
EPA Impairment Status
Clitherall 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 MN56-0238-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #21 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Clitherall Lake
What is the water quality grade for Clitherall Lake?
- Clitherall Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 2539.81 acres.
Is Clitherall Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Clitherall Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Clitherall Lake?
- Clitherall Lake has a maximum depth of 69 feet. The lake covers 2539.81 acres.
What fish are in Clitherall Lake?
- Fish species found in Clitherall Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Clitherall Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Clitherall Lake thaw?
- Clitherall Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Explore Clitherall Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
138 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
MNPCA138 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 (2)
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