Franklin Lake
Franklin Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 1087.79 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 48 ft
- Area
- 1,088 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Franklin Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Franklin Lake is a 1,088-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 48 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 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Franklin Lake ranks #38 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 13.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Franklin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Franklin 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
Franklin Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Franklin Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 48 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,088 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 12.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 69% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Franklin Lake (North)Public
- Franklin Lake (Northeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Franklin 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-30 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 19.20 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.16 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 11.72 | 0.79 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 9.06 | 0.05 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.05 | 0.7 lb |
| BCS | 7.75 | — |
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
Yellow Bass
Green Sunfish
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-04-30 survey
Franklin Lake is a 1,336-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northwestern Otter Tail County approximately ten miles northeast of Pelican Rapids, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 48 feet; however, 56% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Franklin Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FranklinFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Franklin (1052)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FranklinFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FranklinPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.216 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.07 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (13 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-29 (2016) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2015-12-19 (2015) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
EPA Impairment Status
Franklin 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 MN56-0759-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #38 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Franklin Lake
What is the water quality grade for Franklin Lake?
- Franklin Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 48 ft. Surface area: 1087.79 acres.
Is Franklin Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Franklin Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Franklin Lake?
- Franklin Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Franklin Lake?
- Franklin Lake has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake covers 1087.79 acres.
What fish are in Franklin Lake?
- Fish species found in Franklin Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Franklin Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Franklin Lake thaw?
- Franklin Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19.
Are there boat ramps on Franklin Lake?
- Franklin Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Franklin Lake (North), Franklin Lake (Northeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Franklin Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
84 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
MNPCA84 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
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