Lower Elk Lake
Grant County, Minnesota131 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lower Elk Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 13 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Lower Elk Lake in Grant County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 131.36 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 3, 2023 caught 13.00 yellow perch per trap net at Lower Elk Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–7 inches. DNR survey details →
Lower Elk Lake is a 131-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Grant County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 13 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Lower Elk Lake covers about 130 acres in Grant County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lower Elk Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lower Elk Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing12 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Lower Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Lower Elk 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 Lower Elk Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lower Elk Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 1.8 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 28.7 µg/L. TSI 65.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 58.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 28.7µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 65 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Lower Elk Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lower Elk Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 43 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lower Elk Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 3, 2023 caught 13.00 yellow perch per trap net at Lower Elk Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–7 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Elk Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-03 (Targeted Survey).
8 surveys on file · most recent 2023-05-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 44.08 | 6–11 in 2023-05-03 | 0.5 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 20.70 | 2–7 in 2023-05-03 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.73 | 4–18 in 2022-08-22 | 1.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.34 | 3–6 in 2022-08-22 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.12 | 2–12 in 2022-08-22 | 0.1 lb |
| Walleye | 2.39 | 20–21 in 2022-08-22 | 2.29 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2023-05-03 survey
This targeted survey was completed to determine extent of winterkill following the severe 2022-2023 winter. Trap netting results indicated winterkill severity was high. Only two species (Black Bullhead and Yellow Perch) were captured. Due to frequency of winterkill on this basin, future management will focus on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Elk Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower ElkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower ElkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
13 ft
Average depth
12 ft
Surface area
131 acres
Shoreline
2.7 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
11 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,207 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lower Elk LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lower Elk Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lower Elk Lake in Grant 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Lower Elk Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Lower Elk Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lower Elk Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
EPA Impairment Status
Lower Elk Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN26-0046-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Grant County
Frequently asked questions about Lower Elk Lake
Where is Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk Lake is a lake in Grant County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk Lake in Grant County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 58.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 28.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 131.36 acres.
Is Lower Elk Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Lower Elk Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 43 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 131.36 acres.
What fish are in Lower Elk Lake?
- Fish species found in Lower Elk Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lower Elk Lake is located in Grant County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lower Elk Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 3, 2023 caught 13.00 yellow perch per trap net at Lower Elk Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–7 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lower Elk Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lower Elk Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lower Elk Lake?
- Lower Elk 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 Lower Elk Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA16 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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