Meadow Lake
Meadow Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 70.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 14 ft
- Typical in August
- 52°F
- Max depth
- 72 ft
- Area
- 71 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Becker County
Meadow Lake is a 71-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 72 feet (21-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Meadow Lake ranks #37 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. Phosphorus level: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Meadow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Meadow 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.
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Water Temperature
Meadow Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 51°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 52°F) and coldest in Jun (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 429 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Meadow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft |
| Average Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 71 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Meadow LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Meadow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 34.49 | 0.14 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 20.16 | 1.98 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 15.97 | 0.23 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.34 | 0.52 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.67 | 0.22 lb |
| Rainbow Trout | 4.30 | 0.57 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.
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
Hybrid Sunfish
Yellow Bass
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Meadow Lake is 71-acres and located four miles south of Detroit Lakes in Becker County. It has a maximum depth of 72 feet. It is capable of sustaining both warm water and cold water fish species. The lake was managed as a two-story fishery from 1987 through 2009 with stocked Brown and Rainbow Trout, but poor angler…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Meadow Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MeadowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Meadow (1218)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MeadowFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MeadowPublic 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 | +0.123 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.69 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.25 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Meadow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0475-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.44 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #37 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Meadow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 70.72 acres.
Is Meadow Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Meadow Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in August, from 429 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake has a maximum depth of 72 feet and an average depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 70.72 acres.
What fish are in Meadow Lake?
- Fish species found in Meadow Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Meadow Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Meadow Lake?
- Meadow Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Meadow Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Meadow Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
44 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
MNPCA44 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory