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LakeQuality
C

Eagle Lake

Kandiyohi County, MinnesotaMesotrophic

Eagle Lake earns a C — middle-of-the-pack water quality, with one or two parameters dragging the average down from a stronger grade. Secchi readings are the weakest of the three parameters, suggesting suspended sediment or algal biomass dominates the optical signal.

A TSI near 50 places Eagle Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. The lake's 67 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Eagle Lake covers 849 acres alongside 5.0 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Eagle Lake ranks 9 of 35 in Kandiyohi County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Zebra mussel presence at Eagle Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 17 documented species — a notable draw for Minnesota anglers. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. The lake has a partial ice record — 13 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 6. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-27. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

Swimming Safety

Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality

Water Quality Grade: C, Fair

Murky, only visible to about 6.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 23 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)6.4 ftD
Phosphorus23 µg/LB
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No data
Trophic State Index (TSI)50Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth67 ft
Surface Area849.47 acres
Shoreline Length5 mi
Littoral Zone32%
Public AccessYes

Fish Species

Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.

→ Best fishing times for Eagle Lake (14-day solunar calendar)

→ Is it safe to eat fish from Eagle Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)

Eagle Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Invasive Species

zebra mussel

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Improving+0.135 m/yr5
Phosphorus Stable-0.05 µg/L/yr5

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (20 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 6
Typical Ice-In
Dec 6

Estimated open water season: 244 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2017-03-08 (2017)2018-05-01 (2018)
Ice-In2002-11-24 (2002)2024-01-07 (2024)

Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-03

Location

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County Ranking

Ranked #9 of 35 lakes in Kandiyohi County

Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluntnose Minnow150.13
Spottail Shiner63.13
Bluegill44.470.16 lb
BKF33.89
IOD28.75
Yellow Perch22.740.11 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

48 fish · 38 in · 2025-07-07
1370345678

Yellow Perch

25 fish · 56 in · 2025-07-07
2111056

From the 2025-07-07 survey

A standard survey of Eagle Lake was conducted during early-July of 2025. A fall night electrofishing survey was conducted for young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye in early October of 2025. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e. spawning season, fall…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle Lake. 3 reports on file.

Data Sources

Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal

Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate

Most recent sample: 2024-09-27

Monitoring stations: 2