Elbow Lake
Elbow Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 188.36 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 188 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
- Open water
- 208 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Elbow Lake is a 188-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 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 11 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, Elbow Lake ranks #28 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Elbow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elbow 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
Elbow Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 27 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elbow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 46 ft |
| Surface Area | 188 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elbow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elbow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 58.56 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 31.24 | 0.77 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 18.38 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.52 | 0.16 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 9.36 | 0.25 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.22 | 3.44 lb |
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
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-07-05 survey
Elbow (Bass) Lake is a 189-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately two miles west of Battle Lake, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Bass Lake is 46 feet; however, 42% of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elbow Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElbowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elbow (0964)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ElbowFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElbowPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.044 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.7 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 208 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-06 (2005) | 2006-05-09 (2006) |
| Ice-In | 2005-11-10 (2005) | 2015-12-20 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-05-03
County Ranking
Ranked #28 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Elbow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 188.36 acres.
Is Elbow Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Elbow Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 27 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet. The lake covers 188.36 acres.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
- Fish species found in Elbow Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker. Elbow Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Elbow Lake thaw?
- Elbow Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 208 days.
Are there boat ramps on Elbow Lake?
- Elbow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elbow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
105 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA105 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 (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
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