East Battle Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota1,978 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Battle Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 87 ft max depth
- Public access
East Battle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1978.25 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at East Battle Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of East Battle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
East Battle Lake is a 1,978-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 87 feet. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, East Battle Lake ranks #29 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
East Battle Lake covers about 2,000 acres in Otter Tail County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 18, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around East Battle Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What East Battle Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 18
- Deep water87 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,978 acres
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether East Battle 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 East Battle Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Battle Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.2 µg/L. TSI 42.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.2µg/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. | 42 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about East Battle Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at East Battle Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Battle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 20.58 | 2–3 in 2005-08-08 | 0.12 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 17.23 | ||
| Bluegill | 15.39 | 3–9 in 2025-07-21 | 0.16 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.95 | 14–32 in 2025-07-21 | 1.05 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.
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2025-07-21 survey
East Battle Lake is a 1,949 acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately two miles north of Vining, MN. East Battle Lake is connected to West Battle Lake via Battle Lake Creek. The immediate watershed is composed of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Battle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East BattleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East BattleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East BattlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
87 ft
Surface area
1,978 acres
Shoreline
13.7 mi
Littoral zone
42%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- East Battle 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 East Battle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Battle 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 East Battle Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow East Battle Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Battle Lake
- → East Battle Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → East Battle Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → East Battle Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from East Battle Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.74 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.05 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 18
Earliest Mar 29, 2016 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 6
Earliest Nov 20, 2018 · Latest Apr 16, 2002
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2023
67 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about East Battle Lake
Where is East Battle Lake?
- East Battle 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 East Battle Lake?
- East Battle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1978.25 acres.
Is East Battle Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is East Battle Lake?
- East Battle Lake has a maximum depth of 87 feet. The lake covers 1978.25 acres.
What fish are in East Battle Lake?
- Fish species found in East Battle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Battle Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Battle Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 21, 2025 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at East Battle Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Battle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does East Battle Lake thaw?
- East Battle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Dec 6. The open water season is approximately 232 days.
Are there boat ramps on East Battle Lake?
- East Battle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include East Battle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at East Battle Lake?
- East Battle 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 East Battle Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Otter Tail County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Otter Tail County area
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
173 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
MNPCA173 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
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate