Hassel Lake
Swift County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hassel Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 30 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hassel Lake in Swift County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L.
Hassel Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Swift County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 30 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hassel Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hassel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hassel 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 Hassel Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hassel Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 47.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.1 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 47.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.1µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hassel Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hassel Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hassel Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hassel Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fish Stocking History — HasselFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HasselPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
~30 ft est.
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Hassel Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
257 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.7 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,030 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Lake HasselPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Hassel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hassel Lake in Swift 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 Hassel 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 Hassel Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fishing Hassel Lake
EPA Impairment Status
Hassel Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN76-0086-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Swift County
Frequently asked questions about Hassel Lake
Where is Hassel Lake?
- Hassel Lake is a lake in Swift County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hassel Lake?
- Hassel Lake in Swift County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 47.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L.
Is Hassel Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hassel Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hassel Lake?
- Hassel Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hassel Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Hassel Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 30 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Are there boat ramps on Hassel Lake?
- Hassel Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Hassel. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hassel Lake?
- Hassel 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 Hassel Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Hassel Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
11 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
MNPCA11 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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