Malmedal Lake
Malmedal Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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.
- Clarity
- 1.6 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 199 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Malmedal Lake →
Next lake in Pope County
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). Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 1.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 173 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 84.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 74.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 1.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 173 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 84.6 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 74 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Malmedal Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Malmedal 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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Average Depth | 6 ft |
| Surface Area | 199 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Malmedal Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-07-29 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 180.71 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 102.59 | 0.22 lb |
| IOD | 40.40 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 29.63 | 0.35 lb |
| Walleye | 14.37 | 1.08 lb |
| Common Carp | 11.77 | 2.93 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
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Common Carp
From the 2022-07-29 survey
This targeted survey was completed to determine the extent of recent winterkill events, to gain updated information on the gamefish community, and to evaluate restorative stockings of Walleye and Yellow Perch. Survey results indicate recent winterkill events have likely impacted the gamefish populations, but have had…
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.169 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -2.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.6 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Malmedal Lake holds Grade F. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Malmedal Lake
What is the water quality grade for Malmedal Lake?
- Malmedal Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). 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?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Malmedal Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 84.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
Explore Malmedal Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder