Malmedal Lake
Pope County, Minnesota199 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Malmedal Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
Malmedal Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 173 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 198.58 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 28, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at Malmedal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–16 inches. DNR survey details →
Malmedal Lake is a 199-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet (6-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Malmedal Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Malmedal Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing9 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. Malmedal Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Malmedal 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 Malmedal Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Malmedal 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 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 173 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 84.6 µg/L. TSI 74.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 1.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 173µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 84.6µg/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. | 74 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Malmedal Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 28, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at Malmedal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–16 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Malmedal Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-28 (Targeted Survey).
3 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-28 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 180.71 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 117.83 | 4–12 in 2025-08-28 | 0.2 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 28.52 | 7–10 in 2025-08-28 | 0.33 lb |
| Walleye | 13.30 | 13–16 in 2025-08-28 | 1.06 lb |
| Common Carp | 9.61 | 7 in 2025-08-28 | 2.25 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
Walleye
Common Carp
From the 2025-08-28 survey
Malmedal Lake is a shallow, turbid basin with an extensive history of low dissolved oxygen levels during winter months. Frequent partial winterkill events have occurred; however, they have been poorly documented. Poor water clarity limits aquatic vegetation abundance. A permanent fish barrier was installed on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Malmedal Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MalmedalFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MalmedalFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MalmedalPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
10 ft
Average depth
6 ft
Surface area
199 acres
Shoreline
3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
18 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,224 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Malmedal Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Malmedal 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Malmedal Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Malmedal Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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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 Malmedal Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-2.4 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-6.6 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Malmedal 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: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0162-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Malmedal Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- LowryLowry · 2.4 mi away · NPDES MN0024007
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Malmedal Lake
Where is Malmedal Lake?
- Malmedal Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Malmedal Lake?
- Malmedal Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 1.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 173 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 198.58 acres.
Is Malmedal Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Malmedal Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Malmedal Lake?
- Malmedal Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet and an average depth of 6 feet. The lake covers 198.58 acres.
What fish are in Malmedal Lake?
- Fish species found in Malmedal Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, northern pike, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Malmedal Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Malmedal Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 28, 2025 caught 9.00 walleye per gill net at Malmedal Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 13–16 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Malmedal Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Malmedal Lake?
- Public access to Malmedal Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Malmedal Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
90 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
MNPCA90 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder