Indian Lake
Indian Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 201.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 197.21 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Max depth
- 6 ft
- Area
- 197 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 25
- Open water
- 234 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Indian Lake →
Next lake in Nobles County
Indian Lake is a 197-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Nobles County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2022. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Nobles County, Indian Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 201.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 72.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 72.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 201.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 72.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 72 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Indian Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Indian Lake in Nobles 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Indian Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Indian Lake
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 197 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Indian LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Indian 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 251.25 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 41.17 | 0.67 lb |
| Walleye | 39.43 | 1.34 lb |
| White Crappie | 14.92 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.50 | 0.32 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.34 | 0.59 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.
Black Bullhead
Walleye
White Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-09-21 survey
Indian Lake is a 204-acre, class 43 lake, located to the southwest of the City of Round Lake in Nobles County. Indian Lake has a maximum depth of 6.0 ft. Runoff from surrounding agricultural fields has resulted in poor water quality in Indian Lake. Despite its shallowness, Indian Lake rarely experiences low dissolved…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Indian Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IndianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — IndianFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IndianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 234 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-15 (2012) | 1993-04-12 (1993) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-10 (2002) | 2003-11-24 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2012-03-15
EPA Impairment Status
Indian 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 MN53-0007-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 5 lakes in Nobles County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Indian Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Nobles County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake
What is the water quality grade for Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 201.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 72.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 6 ft. Surface area: 197.21 acres.
Is Indian Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Indian Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 72.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake has a maximum depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 197.21 acres.
What fish are in Indian Lake?
- Fish species found in Indian Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, northern pike, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Indian Lake is located in Nobles County, Minnesota.
When does Indian Lake thaw?
- Indian Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 14. The open water season is approximately 234 days.
Are there boat ramps on Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Indian Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Indian Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Nobles County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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