Lida Lake
Lida Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 5522.82 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Max depth
- 58 ft
- Area
- 5,523 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 19
- Open water
- 225 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Lida Lake is a 5,523-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Lida Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-18. 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 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Lida Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lida Lake in Otter Tail 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 58 ft |
| Surface Area | 5,523 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 19.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Lida Lake (South)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lida 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
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 30.88 | — |
| MMS | 22.23 | — |
| Bluegill | 22.21 | 0.16 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 18.44 | — |
| Walleye | 15.72 | 1.44 lb |
| Black Crappie | 13.97 | 0.43 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
Walleye
Black Crappie
From the 2024-08-05 survey
North Lida Lake is a 5,564-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northwestern Otter Tail County approximately five miles east of Pelican Rapids, MN. North Lida Lake is connected to South Lida Lake by a navigable culvert under State Highway 108 along the south shoreline. North Lida Lake is also…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lida Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — North LidaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — North LidaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North LidaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.309 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 225 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2005-04-14 (2005) | 2023-05-05 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-20 (2002) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-05
EPA Impairment Status
Lida 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 MN56-0747-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.27 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #9 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Lida Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lida Lake?
- Lida Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 5522.82 acres.
Is Lida Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Lida Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Lida Lake?
- Lida Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet. The lake covers 5522.82 acres.
What fish are in Lida Lake?
- Fish species found in Lida Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lida Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Lida Lake thaw?
- Lida Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on Lida Lake?
- Lida Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lida Lake (South). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lida Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
393 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA393 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 (4)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate