Latoka Lake
Latoka Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 766.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 19 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 108 ft
- Area
- 767 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 237 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Latoka Lake is a 767-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 108 feet (42-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Latoka Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-02. 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 19 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 19 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Latoka Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Latoka 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.
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Water Temperature
Latoka Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 86 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Latoka Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Latoka Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (9,550 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.
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 | 108 ft |
| Average Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 767 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Latoka 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.73 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.73 | 1.04 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 7.97 | — |
| Northern Pike | 6.46 | 1.35 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 6.03 | 0.2 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 5.54 | 0.13 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
From the 2022-07-18 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Latoka Lake was conducted on July 18-20, 2022, by DNR Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Latoka Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LatokaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LatokaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LatokaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.046 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.57 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (43 observations).
Estimated open water season: 237 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-17 (2024) | 2014-05-11 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-27 (2014) | 2024-01-08 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-13
EPA Impairment Status
Latoka 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 MN21-0106-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.71 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #2 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Latoka Lake
What is the water quality grade for Latoka Lake?
- Latoka Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 19 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 766.63 acres.
Is Latoka Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Latoka Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Latoka Lake?
- Latoka Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 86 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Latoka Lake?
- Latoka Lake has a maximum depth of 108 feet and an average depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 766.63 acres.
What fish are in Latoka Lake?
- Fish species found in Latoka Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Latoka Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Latoka Lake thaw?
- Latoka Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Dec 12. The open water season is approximately 237 days.
Does Latoka Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Latoka Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (9,550 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Explore Latoka Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
402 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA402 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate