Fairy Lake
Todd County, Minnesota307 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Fairy Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Fairy Lake in Todd County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 306.91 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2021 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Fairy Lake. DNR survey details →
Fairy Lake is a 307-acre lake in Todd County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet (17-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Fairy Lake covers about 310 acres in Todd County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 15, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Fairy Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Fairy Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.2 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Fairy 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 Fairy Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Fairy 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 14.2 ft. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Fairy Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Fairy Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in Oct (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (72°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 94 field readings (2021–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fairy Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fairy Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (194,089 cells/mL) on May 2, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2021 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Fairy Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fairy Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-21 (Targeted Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2024-05-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 26.12 | 3–9 in 2024-05-21 | 0.18 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 14.60 | 6–14 in 2021-07-06 | 0.68 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.82 | 10–14 in 2024-05-21 | 0.72 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.91 | 13–20 in 2024-05-21 | 1.46 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.52 | 4–7 in 2024-05-21 | 0.2 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.07 | 6–8 in 2024-05-21 | 0.23 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2024-05-21 survey
Spring trap netting targeting Bluegill and Black Crappie was conducted in May of 2024. Bluegill were assessed to estimate size structures and for comparisons to Area lakes with more restrictive bag limits aimed at improving Bluegill size structure. Additionally, a creel survey was ongoing during this survey along with…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fairy Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FairyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fairy (0902)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FairyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FairyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Average depth
16.5 ft
Surface area
307 acres
Shoreline
4.2 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,250 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Fairy 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 Fairy Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fairy Lake in Todd 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 Fairy 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 Fairy Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fairy Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 17, 2016 · Latest May 9, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 26
Earliest Nov 12, 2018 · Latest Dec 18, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2023
73 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Todd County
Frequently asked questions about Fairy Lake
Where is Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake is a lake in Todd County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake in Todd County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 306.91 acres.
Is Fairy 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 Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 94 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet and an average depth of 16.5 feet. The lake covers 306.91 acres.
What fish are in Fairy Lake?
- Fish species found in Fairy Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, cisco species, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fairy Lake is located in Todd County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Fairy Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 6, 2021 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Fairy Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fairy Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Fairy Lake thaw?
- Fairy Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Does Fairy Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fairy Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (194,089 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Fairy Lake?
- Fairy Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Fairy Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Fairy Lake?
- Fairy 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 Fairy Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Todd County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Alexandria Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Fairy Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA65 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate