Melissa Lake
Becker County, Minnesota1,850 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Melissa Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 37 ft max depth
- Public access
Melissa Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 0.80 walleye per trap net at Melissa Lake. DNR survey details →
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. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Melissa Lake covers about 1,900 acres in Becker County. The median ice-out date is April 16, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Melissa Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Melissa Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.1 ft of visibility
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 16
- Deep water37 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,850 acres
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. Melissa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Melissa 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 Melissa Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Melissa Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.1 ft. Phosphorus 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.5 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.5µg/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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Melissa Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Melissa Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (72°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 0.80 walleye per trap net at Melissa Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Melissa 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-12 (Targeted Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2024-08-12 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 30.42 | 2–8 in 2024-08-12 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 23.64 | ||
| Spottail Shiner | 18.96 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 8.98 | 5–9 in 2024-07-14 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 7.12 | 10–13 in 2024-08-12 | 0.88 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
Yellow Perch
Yellow Bullhead
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
Lake Details
Max depth
37 ft
Surface area
1,850 acres
Shoreline
7 mi
Littoral zone
50%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
108 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,322 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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
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 Melissa Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every 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.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.21 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.2 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 16
Earliest Apr 12, 2015 · Latest May 11, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Apr 12
2015
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN03-0475-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Melissa Lake
Where is Melissa Lake?
- Melissa 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 Melissa Lake?
- Melissa Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Melissa Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Melissa Lake?
- Melissa Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Melissa Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 12, 2024 caught 0.80 walleye per trap net at Melissa Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Melissa 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 Melissa Lake thaw?
- Melissa Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16.
Can I fish at Melissa Lake?
- Public access to Melissa 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 Melissa 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
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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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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate