Eagle Lake
Blue Earth County, Minnesota898 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Eagle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 9 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Eagle Lake in Blue Earth County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 898.23 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2004 caught 14.33 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Eagle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 10 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Eagle Lake is a 898-acre lake in Blue Earth County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-19. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Eagle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
No readingRecreation use not supported
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Eagle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Eagle Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Eagle Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Eagle Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1 ft of visibility. TSI 77.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 77 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Eagle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Eagle Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 78°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 81°F) and coldest in Sep (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (81°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Eagle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was very high (1,584,893 cells/mL) on July 19, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2004 caught 14.33 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Eagle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-04-19 (Targeted Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2023-04-19 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 273.88 | 4–13 in 2004-06-14 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.25 | 2–10 in 2004-06-14 | 0.26 lb |
| Walleye | 4.60 | 10–26 in 2004-06-14 | 1.36 lb |
| Common Carp | 3.89 | 11–30 in 2004-06-14 | 2.71 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.54 | 20–30 in 2004-06-14 | 3.35 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 2.40 | 3–22 in 2004-06-14 | 1.1 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Walleye
Common Carp
From the 2023-04-19 survey
Two trap nets were set on 19 April 2023 to assess winterkill. Trap nets were set on the north shore, near the inlet which is an area fish have traditionally congregated. Black Bullhead was the only species sampled. Dead Walleye and Common Carp were observed along the shoreline.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EagleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EagleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EaglePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
9 ft
Surface area
898 acres
Shoreline
9.8 mi
Littoral zone
80%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
14 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
978 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Eagle LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Eagle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Eagle Lake in Blue Earth 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 Eagle Lake
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Fishing Eagle 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.
EPA Impairment Status
Eagle Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN07-0060-01 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Eagle Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Hiniker CoMankato · 2.7 mi away · NPDES MN0064408
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Blue Earth County
Frequently asked questions about Eagle Lake
Where is Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake is a lake in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake in Blue Earth County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 898.23 acres.
Is Eagle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Eagle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 898.23 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Eagle Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 2004 caught 14.33 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–26 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Eagle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Eagle Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Eagle Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was very high (1,584,893 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Eagle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Eagle Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
10 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA10 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory