Middle Sucker Lake
Cass County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Middle Sucker Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L.
Middle Sucker Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Middle Sucker Lake ranks #104 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyAlgae risk
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Middle Sucker 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 Middle Sucker Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Middle Sucker Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 17.5 µg/L. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 35µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 17.5µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Middle Sucker Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 70°F) and coldest in Oct (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (70°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 149 field readings (2023–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Middle Sucker Lake water temperature breakdown →
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Middle Sucker Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Portage (1650)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Middle Sucker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Middle Sucker Lake in Cass 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Middle Sucker Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Middle Sucker Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fishing Middle Sucker Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.33 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.81 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Middle Sucker Lake
Where is Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 17.5 µg/L.
Is Middle Sucker Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Middle Sucker Lake?
- Middle Sucker Lake typically sits around 53°F at the surface in October, from 149 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Can I fish at Middle Sucker Lake?
- Public access to Middle Sucker Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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.
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Where this data comes from
47 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX47 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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.