Little Floyd Lake
Little Floyd Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 215.39 acres.
- Clarity
- 11 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 215 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 225 days
Next lake in Becker County
Little Floyd Lake is a 215-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. 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 bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Little Floyd Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. 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 11 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Little Floyd Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Floyd Lake in Becker 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
Little Floyd Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Apr (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 817 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Floyd Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 215 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Floyd LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Floyd 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-06-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BNS | 61.89 | — |
| BKF | 43.44 | — |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 24.53 | 0.28 lb |
| Bluegill | 24.11 | 0.19 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 16.98 | 0.58 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 16.31 | — |
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.
Hybrid Sunfish
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
From the 2021-06-14 survey
Little Floyd Lake is a 215-acre lake located in southwestern Becker County just north of the city of Detroit Lakes. The lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and receives heavy recreational use and fishing pressure from the surrounding area. Zebra mussels were discovered in Big Floyd Lake, upstream of Little…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Floyd Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little FloydFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Floyd (1211)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little FloydFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little FloydPublic 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 | -0.003 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.96 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.07 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (9 observations).
Estimated open water season: 225 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2010-04-01 (2010) | 2022-05-05 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2022-11-20 (2022) | 2024-11-28 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-06
EPA Impairment Status
Little Floyd Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0386-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Little Floyd Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 215.39 acres.
Is Little Floyd Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Little Floyd Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 817 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 215.39 acres.
What fish are in Little Floyd Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Floyd Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Floyd Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
When does Little Floyd Lake thaw?
- Little Floyd Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 28. The open water season is approximately 225 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Floyd Lake?
- Little Floyd Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Floyd Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Floyd Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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State Parks Near Little Floyd Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
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Where this data comes from
139 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
MNPCA139 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate