Indian Lake
Wright County, Minnesota139 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Indian Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 31 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Indian Lake in Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 139.28 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 2017 caught 3.50 northern pike per gill net at Indian Lake. DNR survey details →
Indian Lake is a 139-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Wright County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 31 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 50 other monitored lakes in Wright County, Indian Lake ranks #22 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-30. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Indian Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing9 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water31 ft surveyed max depth
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.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.6 ft. Phosphorus 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.3 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.3µg/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 Indian Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Indian Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 90 field readings (2019–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Indian Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 2017 caught 3.50 northern pike per gill net at Indian Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indian Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-05 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2025-05-05 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 117.82 | 3–9 in 2025-05-05 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Crappie | 20.31 | 4–13 in 2025-05-05 | 0.25 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 19.67 | 4–21 in 2017-08-21 | 0.57 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.68 | 4–5 in 2025-05-05 | 0.11 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 8.03 | 12–14 in 1994-08-15 | 0.83 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.99 | 12 in 2017-08-21 | 1.08 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.
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Largemouth Bass
Green Sunfish
From the 2025-05-05 survey
A reduced daily bag limit on sunfish (10 fish daily) was enacted on Indian Lake (Wright County) beginning March 1, 2021. To evaluate the effectiveness of this regulation and to monitor size structure in the Bluegill population, targeted Bluegill assessments were conducted on Indian Lake in 2017, 2021, and 2025.…
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
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Indian (1940)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IndianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
31 ft
Average depth
16.4 ft
Surface area
139 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
47%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,007 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 Wright 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 Indian Lake
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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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.25 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Apr 1, 2007 · Latest May 2, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 29
Earliest Nov 15, 2014 · Latest Dec 10, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Apr 21
2023
17 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 MN86-0223-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Wright County
Frequently asked questions about Indian Lake
Where is Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake is a lake in Wright 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 Wright County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 31 ft. Surface area: 139.28 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.
What is the water temperature of Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 90 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Indian Lake?
- Indian Lake has a maximum depth of 31 feet and an average depth of 16.4 feet. The lake covers 139.28 acres.
What fish are in Indian Lake?
- Fish species found in Indian Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker. Indian Lake is located in Wright County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Indian Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 21, 2017 caught 3.50 northern pike per gill net at Indian Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Indian Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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 Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 224 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, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2021
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