Del Clark Lake
Del Clark Lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 156.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 5 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 156 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Yellow Medicine County
Why Del Clark Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Del Clark Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Del Clark Lake is a 156-acre lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet (13-foot average). The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Del Clark Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Trophic State Index: 54.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 54 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Del Clark Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Del Clark Lake in Yellow Medicine 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 Del Clark Lake
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Water Temperature
Del Clark Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Mar (about 39°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Del Clark Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Average Depth | 13 ft |
| Surface Area | 156 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Del Clark LakePublic
- Del Clark Lake Access #2Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Del Clark Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 1229.09 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 755.27 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 170.40 | 1.98 lb |
| CRP | 156.21 | — |
| OTM | 119.95 | — |
| White Bass | 78.20 | 1.34 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
Largemouth Bass
White Bass
From the 2025-07-07 survey
Del Clark Lake is located one mile southwest of Canby. It is an impoundment on Canby Creek that has a surface area of 154 acres and maximum depth of 30 feet. The Lac qui Parle-Yellow Bank Watershed District owns the property around the lake, including Stonehill Regional Park. The park provides shore angling locations,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Del Clark Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Del ClarkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Del Clark (1393)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Del ClarkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Del ClarkPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | 0 m/yr | 6 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Del Clark Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Canby R-1 (completed 1985), built primarily for flood risk reduction on the Canby Creek; earth-type dam, 62 ft tall and 4,600 ft long.
- Surface area
- 160 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,220 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 6,100 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 26 sq mi
- Hazard class
- High
- Owner
- WD of Lac Qui Parle-Yellow Bank
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00972 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.45 km)
EPA Impairment Status
Del Clark 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 MN87-0180-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Del Clark Lake
Del Clark Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Yellow Medicine County
Frequently asked questions about Del Clark Lake
What is the water quality grade for Del Clark Lake?
- Del Clark Lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 156.3 acres.
Is Del Clark Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Del Clark Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Del Clark Lake?
- Del Clark Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Del Clark Lake?
- Del Clark Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 156.3 acres.
What fish are in Del Clark Lake?
- Fish species found in Del Clark Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, crappie, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, suckers, sunfish, walleye, white bass, white sucker, yellow perch. Del Clark Lake is located in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Del Clark Lake?
- Del Clark Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Del Clark Lake, Del Clark Lake Access #2. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Del Clark Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
108 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
MNPCA108 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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