Crane Lake
Crane Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 349.64 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 43 ft
- Area
- 350 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Crane Lake is a 350-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Crane Lake ranks #1 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 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Crane Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crane 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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Water Temperature
Crane Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°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 70 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Crane Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 43 ft |
| Surface Area | 350 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 58% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Clitherall LakePublic
Fishing Crane Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-25 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 11.11 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 9.46 | 0.43 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.67 | 0.68 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.85 | 1.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 3.04 | 0.42 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.73 | 0.23 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1989-07-25 survey
Northern pike abundance was 5.5 per gill net lift. Average weight of northern pike was 1.5 lbs. Pike reproduction appears good, as the sample consisted of age-classes II+ through V+. Bluegill abundance was 18.9 per trap net lift, which is below the area median. Five percent of the bluegills were 7.0 inches or greater…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Crane Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CraneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — CraneFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.053 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.8 µg/L/yr | 4 |
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Crane Lake
What is the water quality grade for Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 349.64 acres.
Is Crane Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Crane Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 70 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 349.64 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Crane Lake?
- Crane Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clitherall Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
157 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
MNPCA157 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory