Indian Lake
Nobles County, Minnesota197 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Indian Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 6 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Indian Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 23, 2022 caught 3.33 walleye per gill net at Indian Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–6 inches. DNR survey details →
Indian Lake is a 197-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Nobles County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 6 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Indian Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 25
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. Indian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Indian 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 Indian Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Indian 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 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 201.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 72.1 µg/L. TSI 72.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 202µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 72.1µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 72 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Indian Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 23, 2022 caught 3.33 walleye per gill net at Indian Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–6 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indian Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-21 (Targeted Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2023-09-21 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 251.25 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 41.17 | 4–13 in 2022-05-23 | 0.67 lb |
| Walleye | 39.43 | 4–6 in 2023-09-21 | 1.34 lb |
| White Crappie | 14.92 | 11–12 in 2022-05-23 | 0.42 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.50 | 7–9 in 2022-05-23 | 0.32 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.34 | 11–13 in 2022-05-23 | 0.59 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
6 ft
Surface area
197 acres
Shoreline
3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
8 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,529 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Indian LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Indian Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Indian 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 25
Earliest Mar 15, 2012 · Latest Apr 12, 1993
Typical ice-in
Nov 14
Earliest Nov 10, 2002 · Latest Nov 24, 2003
Most recent ice-out
Mar 15
2012
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN53-0007-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Nobles County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake
Where is Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake is a lake in Nobles County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Indian Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Indian Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on May 23, 2022 caught 3.33 walleye per gill net at Indian Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–6 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indian Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Indian Lake?
- Indian 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 Indian Lake across LakeQuality
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate