Jessie Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota110 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Jessie Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- zebra mussel
- 26 ft max depth
- Limited data
Jessie Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 110.23 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 16, 2021 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Jessie Lake. DNR survey details →
Jessie Lake is a 110-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet (11-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Jessie Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Jessie Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 11
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. Jessie Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Jessie 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 Jessie Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Jessie 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 6.8 ft. Phosphorus 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 27.1 µg/L. TSI 58.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 51.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 27.1µg/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. | 58 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Jessie Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 16, 2021 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Jessie Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jessie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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: 2021-08-16 (Targeted Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2021-08-16 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 20.38 | 5–16 in 2021-08-16 | 0.85 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.79 | 2–8 in 2021-08-16 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 8.07 | 9 in 2020-07-20 | 0.72 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.68 | 5 in 2021-08-16 | 0.18 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-08-16 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Jessie Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 16-18 August 2021. Ten sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Jessie Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — JessieFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — JessieFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Average depth
11 ft
Surface area
110 acres
Shoreline
3.3 mi
Littoral zone
63%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
12 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,362 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Jessie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Jessie 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Jessie Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Jessie 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 →
Follow Jessie Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Jessie 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2022). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 11
Earliest Apr 1, 2017 · Latest Apr 30, 2018
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 3, 2006 · Latest Nov 28, 2015
Most recent ice-out
Apr 25
2023
21 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Jessie 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 MN21-0055-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Jessie Lake
Where is Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 51.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 27.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 110.23 acres.
Is Jessie Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Jessie 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 Jessie Lake?
- Jessie Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 110.23 acres.
What fish are in Jessie Lake?
- Fish species found in Jessie Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Jessie Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Jessie Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 16, 2021 caught 0.22 walleye per trap net at Jessie Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Jessie Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Jessie Lake thaw?
- Jessie Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Can I fish at Jessie Lake?
- Public access to Jessie Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA21 samples · 2020–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate