Maud Lake
Becker County, Minnesota517 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Maud Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 32 ft max depth
- Public access
Maud Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 517.01 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 1.56 walleye per gill net at Maud Lake. DNR survey details →
Maud Lake is a 517-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Maud Lake ranks #26 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Maud Lake covers about 520 acres in Becker County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Maud Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Maud Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Maud Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Maud 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 Maud Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Maud Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.7 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.7µg/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. | 38 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Maud Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 1.56 walleye per gill net at Maud Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Maud 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-07-19 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2021-07-19 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 42.00 | ||
| Bluegill | 25.43 | 3–8 in 2021-07-19 | 0.2 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
From the 2021-07-19 survey
Maud Lake is a 517-acre lake located in southwestern Becker County eleven miles southwest of Detroit Lakes. Maud Lake is considered moderately productive and possesses 300 littoral acres. The lake's shoreline is highly developed along its southern and northern shores. Special regulations exist for sunfish, Black…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Maud Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MaudFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Maud (1017)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MaudFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MaudPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
32 ft
Surface area
517 acres
Shoreline
4.2 mi
Littoral zone
58%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
18 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,332 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Maud LakePublic
- Lake EunicePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Maud Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Maud Lake in Becker 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 Maud 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 →
Follow Maud Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Maud 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: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.14 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.09 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 11, 2005 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 24
Earliest Nov 21, 2008 · Latest Nov 27, 2007
Most recent ice-out
May 11
2013
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Maud 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: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0500-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Maud Lake
Where is Maud Lake?
- Maud Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Maud Lake?
- Maud Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 517.01 acres.
Is Maud Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Maud Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Maud Lake?
- Maud Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 517.01 acres.
What fish are in Maud Lake?
- Fish species found in Maud Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Maud Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Maud Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 19, 2021 caught 1.56 walleye per gill net at Maud Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Maud 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.
When does Maud Lake thaw?
- Maud Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 215 days.
Are there boat ramps on Maud Lake?
- Maud Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Maud Lake, Lake Eunice. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Maud Lake?
- Maud Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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 Maud 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 Becker County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Detroit Lakes Area area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Maud Lake
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Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Maud Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
138 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
MNPCA138 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
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