Eagle Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota907 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Eagle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 46 ft max depth
- Public access
Eagle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 13.00 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches. DNR survey details →
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. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Eagle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water22.6 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 16
- Deep water46 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Eagle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. 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.
Crystal clear, you can see 22.6 ft down. Phosphorus 5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 32.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 22.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 32 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
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 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (77°F).
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 ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 13.00 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Eagle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 166.31 | ||
| Bluegill | 51.63 | 3–7 in 2024-07-01 | 0.16 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 48.45 | ||
| Walleye | 11.12 | 8–22 in 2024-07-01 | 1.08 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 10.74 | 10–12 in 2024-07-01 | 0.68 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.
Bluegill
Walleye
Yellow Bullhead
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
Lake Details
Max depth
46 ft
Surface area
907 acres
Shoreline
4.5 mi
Littoral zone
17%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
5 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,296 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 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 Eagle Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.19 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable-0.03 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 16
Earliest Mar 30, 2016 · Latest May 3, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 8
Earliest Dec 1, 2007 · Latest Dec 24, 2001
Most recent ice-out
May 1
2023
29 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0253-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Eagle Lake
Where is Eagle Lake?
- Eagle Lake is a lake in Otter Tail 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 Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Eagle Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. 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 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Eagle Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 1, 2024 caught 13.00 walleye per gill net at Eagle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Eagle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
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.
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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)
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
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