Height of Land Lake
Becker County, Minnesota3,795 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Height of Land Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
Height of Land Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Height of Land Lake. DNR survey details →
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 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Height of Land Lake covers about 3,800 acres in Becker County. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Height of Land Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Height of Land Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Big water3,795 acres
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. Height of Land Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Height of Land 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 Height of Land Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Height of Land Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 27 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 8.6 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 27µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 8.6µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Height of Land Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Height of Land Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Height of Land Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-09 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2023-05-09 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 19.97 | 4–11 in 2021-06-21 | 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Average depth
7.6 ft
Surface area
3,795 acres
Shoreline
13 mi
Littoral zone
84%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
177 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,447 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Height of Land Lake (South)Public
- Height of Land Lake (East)Public
- Height of Land Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Height of Land Lake
- → Height of Land Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Height of Land Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Height of Land Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Height of Land Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.27 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.49 µg/L/yr4 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0195-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Height of Land Lake
Where is Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Height of Land Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Height of Land Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 21, 2021 caught 2.75 walleye per gill net at Height of Land Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Height of Land Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 Height of Land Lake (South), Height of Land Lake (East), Height of Land Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Height of Land Lake?
- Height of Land Lake has 3 documented boat landings 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 Height of Land Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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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)
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