Mill Lake
Becker County, Minnesota155 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Mill Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 10 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Mill Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 154.5 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2005 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Mill Lake. DNR survey details →
Mill Lake is a 155-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Mill Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Mill Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Mill 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 Mill Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Mill Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. Phosphorus 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.5 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.5µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Mill Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Mill Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (71°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2023–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Mill Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2005 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Mill Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mill Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2005-06-27 (Standard Survey).
2 surveys on file · most recent 2005-06-27 (Standard Survey)
21 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 25.38 | 3–9 in 2005-06-27 | 0.24 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 15.78 | 5–13 in 2005-06-27 | 0.45 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 10.58 | 3–7 in 2005-06-27 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.94 | 10–26 in 2005-06-27 | 1.28 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.81 | 3–9 in 2005-06-27 | 0.32 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.44 | 8–11 in 2005-06-27 | 0.55 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 Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
Northern Pike
From the 2005-06-27 survey
Mill Lake has no designated public boat ramp but boat access can be obtained from Lake Melissa via the Pelican River. Shore fishing is popular through much of the summer near the outlet dam (Buck's Mill). Technically, the lake is a reservoir since the dam maintains the water level about six feet higher than would…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Mill Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MillFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
10 ft
Surface area
155 acres
Shoreline
4 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
126 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,322 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Mill Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Mill Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Mill 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.
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Mill Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Buck'S Mill (completed 1937), built primarily for other on the Pelican River; concrete-type dam, 16 ft tall and 70 ft long.
- Surface area
- 160 ac
- Normal storage
- 1,425 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,600 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 135 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Fisheries
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01638 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.73 km)
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Mill Lake
Where is Mill Lake?
- Mill 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 Mill Lake?
- Mill Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 154.5 acres.
Is Mill 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 Mill Lake?
- Mill Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Mill Lake?
- Mill Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 154.5 acres.
What fish are in Mill Lake?
- Fish species found in Mill Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Mill Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Mill Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 27, 2005 caught 0.33 walleye per gill net at Mill Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Mill Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Mill Lake?
- Public access to Mill 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.
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Where this data comes from
22 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA22 samples · 2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder