Linka Lake
Linka Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 177.81 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 178 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Pope County
Linka Lake is a 178-acre mesotrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet (22-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 12 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, Linka Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Linka Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Linka 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.
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Water Temperature
Linka Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Linka Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 50 ft |
| Average Depth | 22 ft |
| Surface Area | 178 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake LinkaPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Linka Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.27 | 0.08 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 14.14 | 0.05 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.82 | 1.12 lb |
| BKF | 11.67 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 9.65 | 0.13 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 8.29 | — |
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
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Lake Linka is a 175 acre, moderately productive basin located in southern Pope County. Maximum depth of the lake is 50 feet. Average depth is estimated at 22 feet. Water clarity is very good. Transparency measurements average 14.0 feet throughout the summer with occasional decreases due to weather events. The lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Linka Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LinkaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LinkaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LinkaPublic 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 | -0.107 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.86 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.76 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Linka 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 MN61-0072-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.69 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Linka Lake
What is the water quality grade for Linka Lake?
- Linka Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 177.81 acres.
Is Linka Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Linka Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Linka Lake?
- Linka Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Linka Lake?
- Linka Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet and an average depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 177.81 acres.
What fish are in Linka Lake?
- Fish species found in Linka Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Linka Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Linka Lake?
- Linka Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Linka. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Linka Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
88 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
MNPCA88 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)
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