East Loon Lake
East Loon Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1044.33 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 105 ft
- Area
- 1,044 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
Next lake in Otter Tail County
East Loon Lake is a 1,044-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 105 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 17 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 Loon Lake ranks #16 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near East Loon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Loon 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
East Loon Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Jun (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Loon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Loon Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (9,036 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.
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 | 105 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,044 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Loon LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Loon 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
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-14 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 37.42 | — |
| Bluegill | 28.10 | 0.17 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 26.11 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.09 | 1.01 lb |
| IOD | 9.49 | — |
| BCS | 7.27 | — |
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
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-07-14 survey
Loon Lake is a 1,048-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County. The town of Vergas, MN abuts the northeast shoreline of the lake. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet;…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Loon 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 LoonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East LoonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East LoonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.183 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.54 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.32 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2004-04-10 (2004) | 2022-05-07 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2003-12-01 (2003) | 2003-12-01 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-07
EPA Impairment Status
East Loon 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 MN56-0523-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #16 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about East Loon Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 1044.33 acres.
Is East Loon Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. East Loon Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet. The lake covers 1044.33 acres.
What fish are in East Loon Lake?
- Fish species found in East Loon Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Loon Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does East Loon Lake thaw?
- East Loon Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13.
Does East Loon Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for East Loon Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (9,036 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on East Loon Lake?
- East Loon Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Loon Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
231 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
MNPCA231 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)
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