Height of Land Lake
Height of Land Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 3794.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 3,795 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Becker County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Height of Land Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Height of Land Lake is a 3,795-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (8-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Height of Land Lake ranks #63 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 8.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 27 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 8.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Height of Land Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Height of Land Lake in Becker 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 Height of Land Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 7.6 ft |
| Surface Area | 3,795 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 13 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 84% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Rice Lake (Southeast)Public
- Height of Land Lake (East)Public
- Height of Land Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Height of Land Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-09 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| OTM | 60.05 | — |
| CSH | 52.52 | — |
| BLH | 30.00 | — |
| SUN | 22.47 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 19.97 | 0.23 lb |
| JND | 19.90 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-05-09 survey
Height of Land Lake is a 3,795-acre lake located in central Becker County 15 miles east of Detroit Lakes. It is sometimes subject to low dissolved oxygen levels during the winter. The most severe winterkill occurred in 1996, eliminating most of the Walleye and panfish populations. Anglers reported dead fish following…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Height of Land Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Height of LandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Height of Land (1207)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Height of LandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Height of LandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.073 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.27 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.49 µg/L/yr | 4 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Height of Land Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Height of Land Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Otter Tail River; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 60 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,500 ac
- Normal storage
- 12,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 24,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 172 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00021 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Height of Land Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0195-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #63 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Height of Land Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Height of Land Lake
What is the water quality grade for Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 8.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 3794.77 acres.
Is Height of Land Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Height of Land Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 8.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 7.6 feet. The lake covers 3794.77 acres.
What fish are in Height of Land Lake?
- Fish species found in Height of Land Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Height of Land Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rice Lake (Southeast), Height of Land Lake (East), Height of Land Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Height of Land Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
26 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
MNPCA26 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