Eagle Lake
Eagle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 22.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 907.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 22.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 907 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 236 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Eagle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Eagle Lake is a 907-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including bluegill, green sunfish, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Eagle Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 22.6 ft down. Phosphorus level: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 22.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Eagle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Eagle 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.
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Water Temperature
Eagle Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2017–2021) 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 moderate (62,517 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 | 46 ft |
| Surface Area | 907 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 17% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Eagle LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 228.52 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 166.31 | — |
| Bluegill | 51.63 | 0.16 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 48.45 | — |
| Walleye | 11.12 | 1.08 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.74 | 0.68 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
Walleye
Yellow Bass
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Eagle Lake is an 845-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately eight miles south of Battle Lake, MN. Eagle Lake is located within the Pomme de Terre River Watershed; however, there are no inlets or outlets connected to the lake. The immediate watershed is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle Lake. 4 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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Eagle (1155)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EagleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EaglePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.097 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.03 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (29 observations).
Estimated open water season: 236 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-30 (2016) | 2008-05-03 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-12-01 (2007) | 2001-12-24 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-01
EPA Impairment Status
Eagle Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0253-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Eagle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 22.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 907.4 acres.
Is Eagle Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Eagle Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 907.4 acres.
What fish are in Eagle Lake?
- Fish species found in Eagle Lake include bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Eagle Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Eagle Lake thaw?
- Eagle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 8. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
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 moderate (62,517 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.
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Where this data comes from
81 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA81 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 (2)
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