Dead Lake
Dead Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 7545.66 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 7,546 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Dead Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Dead Lake is a 7,546-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Dead Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-04. 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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Dead Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Dead 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 Dead Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Dead Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Water Temperature
Dead Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Dead Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Dead Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL) on November 29, 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 | 65 ft |
| Average Depth | 9.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 7,546 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 41 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 87% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Dead Lake Wildlife Management AreaPublic
- Dead Lake (North)Public
- Dead Lake (Southeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Dead 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-19 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 34.97 | — |
| Bluegill | 19.71 | 0.19 lb |
| JND | 11.81 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 8.88 | 0.1 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.52 | 0.21 lb |
| Walleye | 5.48 | 2.04 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
Pumpkinseed
Walleye
From the 2024-08-19 survey
Dead Lake is a 7,901-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately three miles south of Dent, MN. It is the second largest lake in Otter Tail County. The Dead River outlet is located along the southeast shoreline and flows south into Walker and Otter Tail Lakes. The…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Dead Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DeadFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DeadFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DeadPublic 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 | +0.346 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.81 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.68 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-31 (2016) | 2008-05-02 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2006-11-19 (2006) | 2007-11-27 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2016-03-31
EPA Impairment Status
Dead 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 MN56-0383-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Dead Lake
What is the water quality grade for Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 7545.66 acres.
Is Dead Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Dead Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet and an average depth of 9.5 feet. The lake covers 7545.66 acres.
What fish are in Dead Lake?
- Fish species found in Dead Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Dead Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Dead Lake thaw?
- Dead Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14.
Does Dead Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Dead Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (7,047 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Dead Lake?
- Dead Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Dead Lake Wildlife Management Area, Dead Lake (North), Dead Lake (Southeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Dead Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
399 measurements from 5 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
MNPCA399 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 (5)
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