Ida Lake
Ida Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 4445.29 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.4 ft
- Max depth
- 106 ft
- Area
- 4,445 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 231 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Ida Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 100 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Ida Lake is a 4,445-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 106 feet (28-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Ida Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-27. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Ida Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ida Lake in Douglas 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 Ida Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Ida Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Ida Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (14,859 cells/mL) on October 11, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 106 ft |
| Average Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 4,445 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 22.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Ida (North)Public
- East Pilgrim PointPublic
- Highlands (Southeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ida 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
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-07 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 31.71 | 0.89 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.96 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.75 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 12.76 | — |
| MMS | 10.29 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 8.66 | 0.84 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
From the 2023-08-07 survey
Lake Ida is a 4,432-acre, moderately fertile basin located northwest of Alexandria. Maximum depth exceeds 100 feet. Mean depth is approximately 28 feet. Lake Ida lies within the Long Prairie River watershed and is connected to Lake Miltona to the north and Lake Charley to the south via non-navigable channels. Water…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ida Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IdaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Ida (1069)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — IdaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IdaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.015 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.56 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.14 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (79 observations).
Estimated open water season: 231 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2008-05-03 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 1996-11-22 (1996) | 1998-01-03 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-27
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ida Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Ida (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Long Prairie River-TR; other-type dam, 8 ft tall and 45 ft long.
- Surface area
- 4,426 ac
- Normal storage
- 540 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 864 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 103 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00176 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Ida Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0123-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Ida Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 106 ft. Surface area: 4445.29 acres.
Is Ida Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Ida Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake has a maximum depth of 106 feet and an average depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 4445.29 acres.
What fish are in Ida Lake?
- Fish species found in Ida Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ida Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Ida Lake thaw?
- Ida Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 231 days.
Does Ida Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Ida Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (14,859 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Ida Lake?
- Ida Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Ida (North), East Pilgrim Point, Highlands (Southeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Ida Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
266 measurements from 9 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA266 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (9)
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