Miltona Lake
Miltona Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 5730.99 acres.
- Clarity
- 18.7 ft
- Max depth
- 105 ft
- Area
- 5,731 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 230 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Miltona Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 100 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Miltona Lake is a 5,731-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 105 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Phosphorus level is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Miltona Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-21. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18.7 ft down. Phosphorus level: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Miltona Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Miltona Lake in Douglas 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 Miltona Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Miltona Lake → · more Minnesota lake trips
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Miltona Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL) on November 15, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 105 ft |
| Surface Area | 5,731 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sandy BeachPublic
- Lake Miltona (Northwest)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Miltona 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
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 6396.21 | 11.04 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 34.97 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 32.46 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 26.57 | 0.73 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.82 | 0.18 lb |
| MMS | 16.52 | — |
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.
Muskellunge
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2023-08-14 survey
Lake Miltona, located north of Alexandria between the towns of Miltona and Leaf Valley, is the largest (5,724 acres) recreational fishing lake in Douglas County. Maximum depth exceeds 100 feet. The lake supports a productive fishery since nearly half of the basin is less than 15 feet in depth and a well oxygenated…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Miltona Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MiltonaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Miltona (1064)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MiltonaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MiltonaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.077 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.15 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (39 observations).
Estimated open water season: 230 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-17 (2024) | 2018-05-05 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 1995-11-12 (1995) | 1998-12-17 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-13
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Miltona Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Miltona (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Long Prairie River-TR; other-type dam, 8 ft tall and 23 ft long.
- Surface area
- 5,724 ac
- Normal storage
- 262,710 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 280,224 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 70 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00181 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Miltona Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0083-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 37 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Miltona Lake
What is the water quality grade for Miltona Lake?
- Miltona Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 105 ft. Surface area: 5730.99 acres.
Is Miltona Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Miltona Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Miltona Lake?
- Miltona Lake has a maximum depth of 105 feet. The lake covers 5730.99 acres.
What fish are in Miltona Lake?
- Fish species found in Miltona Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Miltona Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Miltona Lake thaw?
- Miltona Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Does Miltona Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Miltona Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (33,113 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Miltona Lake?
- Miltona Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sandy Beach, Lake Miltona (Northwest). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Miltona 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 Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
128 measurements from 5 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
MNPCA128 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 (5)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate