East Leaf Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota404 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for East Leaf Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 43 ft max depth
- Public access
East Leaf Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 404.14 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 20, 2022 caught 12.55 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Leaf Lake. DNR survey details →
East Leaf Lake is a 404-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 43 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, East Leaf Lake ranks #60 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 Leaf Lake covers about 400 acres in Otter Tail County. The median ice-out date is April 14, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around East Leaf Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What East Leaf Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing19 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
- Deep water43 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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 Leaf 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 Leaf Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for East Leaf Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.9 ft. Phosphorus 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.8 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 23µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.8µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about East Leaf Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
East Leaf Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 64°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (64°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 78 field readings (2017–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Leaf Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 20, 2022 caught 12.55 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Leaf Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Leaf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2022-07-20 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2022-07-20 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 20.37 | 2–10 in 2022-06-27 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.76 | 5–7 in 2022-06-27 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.95 |
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
Yellow Perch
From the 2022-07-20 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Middle Leaf Lake was conducted on July 20, 2022 by Fergus Falls Area Fisheries Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Electrofishing was…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Leaf Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Middle LeafFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Middle LeafFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Middle LeafPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
43 ft
Surface area
404 acres
Shoreline
4.4 mi
Littoral zone
45%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
121 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,309 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near East Leaf Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Leaf 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 Leaf 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 Leaf Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Leaf 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: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.87 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.81 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Apr 7, 2004 · Latest Apr 23, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 21, 2003 · Latest Dec 10, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 23
2014
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about East Leaf Lake
Where is East Leaf Lake?
- East Leaf 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 Leaf Lake?
- East Leaf Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 23 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 43 ft. Surface area: 404.14 acres.
Is East Leaf Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of East Leaf Lake?
- East Leaf Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 78 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Leaf Lake?
- East Leaf Lake has a maximum depth of 43 feet. The lake covers 404.14 acres.
What fish are in East Leaf Lake?
- Fish species found in East Leaf Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Leaf Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at East Leaf Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 20, 2022 caught 12.55 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at East Leaf Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows East Leaf Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does East Leaf Lake thaw?
- East Leaf Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Can I fish at East Leaf Lake?
- Public access to East Leaf Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Leaf Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
178 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA178 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 (3)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate