Leven Lake
Pope County, Minnesota282 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Leven Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- zebra mussel
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
Leven Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 281.99 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Leven Lake. DNR survey details →
Leven Lake is a 282-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (13-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Leven Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-18. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Leven Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
- Deep water33 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. Leven Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Leven 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 Leven Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Leven Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft. Phosphorus 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 11.5 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 31.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 11.5µg/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. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Leven Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Leven Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (65°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2011–2016) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Leven Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Leven Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Leven Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
16 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey).
16 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-07 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 21.36 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 20.97 | 5–6 in 2025-07-07 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.68 | 3–8 in 2025-07-07 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.04 | 2–17 in 2025-07-07 | 1.24 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 13.71 | 6–13 in 2025-07-07 | 0.98 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2025-07-07 survey
Leven Lake is a 283-acre lake located in northeast Pope County. It is the most upstream basin in a chain of three lakes, which includes Leven, Villard and Amelia. Flowage connections between these systems are non-navigable. An access is located on the southeast corner of the lake. Pope County Judicial Ditch 4 drains…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Leven Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LevenFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LevenPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Average depth
13 ft
Surface area
282 acres
Shoreline
2.6 mi
Littoral zone
56%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
9 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,345 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Leven 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 Leven Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Leven Lake in Pope 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 Leven Lake
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Follow Leven Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Leven 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: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.6 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-1.04 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Leven 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 MN61-0066-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Leven Lake
Where is Leven Lake?
- Leven Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Leven Lake?
- Leven Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 281.99 acres.
Is Leven Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Leven 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 Leven Lake?
- Leven Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2016). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Leven Lake?
- Leven Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 13 feet. The lake covers 281.99 acres.
What fish are in Leven Lake?
- Fish species found in Leven Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Leven Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Leven Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 7, 2025 caught 1.50 walleye per gill net at Leven Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Leven Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Leven Lake?
- Leven Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Leven Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Leven Lake?
- Leven 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 Leven Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Leven Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
74 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA74 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 (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