Minnie-Belle Lake
Minnie-Belle Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 596.58 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 49 ft
- Area
- 597 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 14
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Meeker County
Minnie-Belle Lake is a 597-acre mesotrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 49 feet (32-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Minnie-Belle Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-17. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.4 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Minnie-Belle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Minnie-Belle Lake in Meeker 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.
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Water Temperature
Minnie-Belle Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 64°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 72°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Minnie-Belle Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 49 ft |
| Average Depth | 31.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 597 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake Minnie-BellePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Minnie-Belle 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.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
23 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-07 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 72.63 | — |
| Bluegill | 21.33 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.94 | 0.81 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 13.75 | 1.07 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 12.26 | — |
| JND | 6.11 | — |
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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-07-07 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Minnie-Belle Lake was conducted beginning on July 7th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Minnie-Belle Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Minnie-BelleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Minnie-Belle (1395)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Minnie-BelleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Minnie-BellePublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.14 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.24 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (26 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-15 (2016) | 2013-05-02 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2011-11-09 (2011) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-04
EPA Impairment Status
Minnie-Belle 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 MN47-0119-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Minnie-Belle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Minnie-Belle Lake?
- Minnie-Belle Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 596.58 acres.
Is Minnie-Belle Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Minnie-Belle Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Minnie-Belle Lake?
- Minnie-Belle Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Minnie-Belle Lake?
- Minnie-Belle Lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and an average depth of 31.5 feet. The lake covers 596.58 acres.
What fish are in Minnie-Belle Lake?
- Fish species found in Minnie-Belle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Minnie-Belle Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
When does Minnie-Belle Lake thaw?
- Minnie-Belle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Minnie-Belle Lake?
- Minnie-Belle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Minnie-Belle. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Minnie-Belle Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA83 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 (1)
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