East Toqua Lake
East Toqua Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 703 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 436.65 acres.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 437 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near East Toqua Lake →
Next lake in Big Stone County
East Toqua Lake is a 437-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet (6-foot average). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 1 other monitored lakes in Big Stone County, East Toqua Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 703 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 33.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 78.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 703 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 33.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near East Toqua Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Toqua Lake in Big Stone 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around East Toqua Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near East Toqua Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
East Toqua Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Sep (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Toqua Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Average Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 437 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- East Toqua Lake (South)Public
- East Toqua Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Toqua Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 860.71 | — |
| OTM | 284.50 | — |
| OSS | 223.78 | 0.04 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 63.04 | 0.44 lb |
| OTS | 55.00 | — |
| SUN | 43.50 | — |
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.
OSS
Black Bullhead
From the 2023-07-10 survey
East Toqua Lake borders Graceville in west-central Minnesota. It is 428 acres and has a maximum depth of nine feet. The lake is highly productive and water clarity is often low. Toqua County Park is located along the south shoreline and it provides a boat launch, fishing pier, shore angling, picnicking and camping.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Toqua 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 ToquaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East ToquaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East ToquaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
East Toqua Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN06-0138-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of East Toqua Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Graceville WwtpGraceville · 1 mi away · NPDES MN0023540Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 2 lakes in Big Stone County
Nearby Lakes in Big Stone County
Frequently asked questions about East Toqua Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Toqua Lake?
- East Toqua Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 703 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 436.65 acres.
Is East Toqua Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. East Toqua Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 33.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of East Toqua Lake?
- East Toqua Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Toqua Lake?
- East Toqua Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 436.65 acres.
What fish are in East Toqua Lake?
- Fish species found in East Toqua Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, crappie, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, quillback, suckers, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Toqua Lake is located in Big Stone County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on East Toqua Lake?
- East Toqua Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include East Toqua Lake (South), East Toqua Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore East Toqua Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Big Stone County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
12 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA12 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory