Louise Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota214 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Louise Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 33 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Louise Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 214.46 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Louise Lake. DNR survey details →
Louise Lake is a 214-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 33 feet (18-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Louise Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Louise Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 15
- Deep water33 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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. Louise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Louise 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 Louise Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Louise Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.4 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Louise Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Louise Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 87 field readings (2021–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Louise Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Louise Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Louise Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-20 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-20 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 28.69 | 3–8 in 2023-06-20 | 0.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 24.51 | ||
| Largemouth Bass | 14.69 | 6–20 in 2023-06-20 | 0.57 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-06-20 survey
Lake Louise is a small (215 acres), moderately developed basin located northwest of Alexandria in Douglas County. Water quality and clarity are good and the lake supports an abundant and diverse aquatic plant community. Habitat attributes are characteristic of a bass-panfish lake. Lake Louise is connected to Lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Louise Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LouiseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Louise (1068)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LouiseFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LouisePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
33 ft
Average depth
18 ft
Surface area
214 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
46%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
76 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,352 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake LouisePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Louise Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Louise Lake in Douglas 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 Louise Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Louise Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Louise 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: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.69 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.15 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 15
Earliest Mar 20, 2012 · Latest May 10, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 9
Earliest Nov 5, 2006 · Latest Dec 29, 2023
Most recent ice-out
Apr 8
2025
64 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Louise 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0094-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Louise Lake
Where is Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 214.46 acres.
Is Louise Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Louise Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 87 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 214.46 acres.
What fish are in Louise Lake?
- Fish species found in Louise Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Louise Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Louise Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 20, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Louise Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Louise Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Louise Lake thaw?
- Louise Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Dec 9. The open water season is approximately 238 days.
Are there boat ramps on Louise Lake?
- Louise Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Louise. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Louise Lake?
- Louise 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 Louise 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 Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA21 samples · 2021–2022
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate