Le Homme Dieu Lake
Le Homme Dieu Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 1800.95 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 85 ft
- Area
- 1,801 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Le Homme Dieu Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Le Homme Dieu Lake is a 1,801-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 85 feet (19-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 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Le Homme Dieu Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-21. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Le Homme Dieu Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Le Homme Dieu 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
Le Homme Dieu Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 76 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Le Homme Dieu Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 85 ft |
| Average Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,801 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 49% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Geneva (North)Public
- Krueger Creek (Northeast)Public
- Rotary Beach (Northwest)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Le Homme Dieu 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
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.24 | 0.15 lb |
| BKS | 23.49 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.05 | 0.73 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.41 | — |
| SUN | 15.50 | — |
| MMS | 7.27 | — |
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
From the 2024-08-12 survey
Lake Le Homme Dieu is a 1,800-acre basin located on the northeast city limits of Alexandria and is part of the Alexandria Chain of Lakes. Navigable connections exist to Lake Carlos and Lake Geneva. The shoreline and most of the watershed are well developed. Water quality is good. Water transparency was 10 feet during…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Le Homme Dieu Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Le Homme DieuFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Le Homme Dieu (1075)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Le Homme DieuFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Le Homme DieuPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.167 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.99 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (94 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-12 (2024) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-05 (2019) | 2016-12-10 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Le Homme Dieu 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 MN21-0056-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Le Homme Dieu Lake
What is the water quality grade for Le Homme Dieu Lake?
- Le Homme Dieu Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 85 ft. Surface area: 1800.95 acres.
Is Le Homme Dieu Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Le Homme Dieu Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Le Homme Dieu Lake?
- Le Homme Dieu Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 76 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Le Homme Dieu Lake?
- Le Homme Dieu Lake has a maximum depth of 85 feet and an average depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 1800.95 acres.
What fish are in Le Homme Dieu Lake?
- Fish species found in Le Homme Dieu Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Le Homme Dieu Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Le Homme Dieu Lake thaw?
- Le Homme Dieu Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Le Homme Dieu Lake?
- Le Homme Dieu Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Geneva (North), Krueger Creek (Northeast), Rotary Beach (Northwest). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Le Homme Dieu Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
141 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
MNPCA141 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate