Dade Lake
Dade Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Surface area: 99.41 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.2 ft
- Mean depth
- ~25 ft est.
- Area
- 99 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Dade Lake is a 99-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 25 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including largemouth bass, northern pike, and pumpkinseed. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Dade Lake ranks #59 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-28. 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)
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Dade Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~25 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 99 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Dade 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.
Recreation & Access
- Dade LakePublic
- Sylvan LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dade 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
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2014-05-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 6.67 | 0.06 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.33 | 2.04 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 0.33 | 3.21 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 0.33 | 0.37 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
Northern Pike
Largemouth Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2014-05-05 survey
Three 3/8" trap nets were set on May 5, 2014 and lifted May 6, 2014 to assess winterkill in Dade Lake. Some fish species sampled included one largemouth bass with a length of 18", one pumpkinseed at 7.5", 4 northern pike with a size range of 19"-24", and 20 yellow perch with a size range of 4"-5.5".
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dade Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DadeFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Dade (1443)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DadePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 4 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.942 m/yr | 4 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
EPA Impairment Status
Dade 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 MN11-0304-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.52 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #59 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Dade Lake
What is the water quality grade for Dade Lake?
- Dade Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2 µg/L. Surface area: 99.41 acres.
Is Dade Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Dade Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Dade Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Dade Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 25 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 99.41 acres.
What fish are in Dade Lake?
- Fish species found in Dade Lake include largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Dade Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Dade Lake?
- Dade Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dade Lake, Sylvan Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA24 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
- 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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory