Melissa Lake
Melissa Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 1850.16 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 37 ft
- Area
- 1,850 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
Next lake in Becker County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Melissa Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 40 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Melissa Lake is a 1,850-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 37 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Melissa Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Melissa Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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 13.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Melissa Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Melissa 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 Melissa 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 →
Water Temperature
Melissa Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 982 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Melissa Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 37 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,850 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 50% |
| 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 Melissa 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-12 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.42 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 23.64 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 18.96 | — |
| IOD | 14.42 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 8.98 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.12 | 0.88 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
Yellow Perch
Yellow Bass
From the 2024-08-12 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Melissa Lake was conducted on August 12th-15th, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Eighteen sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine. Nearshore sampling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Melissa Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MelissaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Melissa (1185)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MelissaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MelissaPublic 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 | +0.165 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-12 (2015) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2001-12-07 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-12
EPA Impairment Status
Melissa 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
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Melissa Lake
What is the water quality grade for Melissa Lake?
- Melissa Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 37 ft. Surface area: 1850.16 acres.
Is Melissa Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Melissa Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Melissa Lake?
- Melissa Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 982 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Melissa Lake?
- Melissa Lake has a maximum depth of 37 feet. The lake covers 1850.16 acres.
What fish are in Melissa Lake?
- Fish species found in Melissa Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Melissa Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
When does Melissa Lake thaw?
- Melissa Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16.
Explore Melissa Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded 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 grade
Lakes in the Red River of the North Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Melissa Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Melissa Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
146 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA146 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 (3)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate