Little Mud Lake
Little Mud Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 37.37 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 59°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 37 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Meeker County
Little Mud Lake is a 37-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Little Mud Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Little Mud Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 53.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 27.5 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.1 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 53 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Little Mud Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Mud Lake in Meeker 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 Little Mud Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Little Mud Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 38 field readings (2024–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Mud Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 37 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 67% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Mud LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Mud 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: 2025-01-18 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 47.62 | 0.23 lb |
| Black Crappie | 34.01 | 0.19 lb |
| Bluegill | 31.08 | 0.09 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.39 | 0.72 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.97 | 0.29 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.27 | 0.12 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.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-01-18 survey
Little Mud is a small-sized lake (37 acres) located south of the City of Watkins in Meeker County. A moderate-sized private access with gravel parking and a single cement boat ramp is available on the west shore. There is no charge for parking or using the boat ramp. Little Mud has approximately one mile of shoreline…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Mud Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little MudFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little MudFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little MudPublic 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 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +8.94 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +8.02 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Mud 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 MN47-0095-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.36 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #6 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Little Mud Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Mud Lake?
- Little Mud Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 27.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 37.37 acres.
Is Little Mud Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Little Mud Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 11.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Mud Lake?
- Little Mud Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August, from 38 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Mud Lake?
- Little Mud Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 37.37 acres.
What fish are in Little Mud Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Mud Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout. Little Mud Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Little Mud Lake?
- Little Mud Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Mud Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Mud Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Meeker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Little Mud Lake
Other Grade C Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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