Moses Lake
Douglas County, MinnesotaLimited DataOligotrophic
Moses Lake sits at the top of the Minnesota PCA grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Minnesota.
Trophically, Moses Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. A maximum depth of 32 ft puts Moses Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Moses Lake covers 824 acres alongside 4.5 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Within Douglas County's 51 graded waters, Moses Lake sits at rank 11, near the top of the local distribution.
Zebra mussel presence at Moses Lake means the lake's clarity numbers carry an asterisk — filtered water is not the same as nutrient-poor water. Walleye are documented at Moses Lake, one of 17 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Ice-out has been recorded 6 times at Moses Lake, with a median around Apr 17. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-01. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 16.2 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.2 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Average Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 823.82 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Moses Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Moses Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Moses Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
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: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.397 m/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (14 observations).
Estimated open water season: 230 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-04 (2007) | 2022-05-01 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-18 (2002) | 2004-12-20 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-01
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 51 lakes in Douglas County
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Moses Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Moses Lake With Nearby Lakes
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-13 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 2132.01 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 69.11 | — |
| Bluegill | 33.73 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.26 | 1.13 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 13.54 | 0.18 lb |
| IOD | 11.22 | — |
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 Perch
From the 2024-05-13 survey
A targeted survey was completed in the spring of 2024 on Lake Moses to assess the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. Bluegill catch rates were moderate, and many quality fish were observed during the survey. Twenty seven percent of the Bluegill were over 8 inches in length and the largest Bluegill observed was 10…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Moses Lake. 4 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MosesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Moses (1070)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MosesFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MosesPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Moses Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Moses Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for other on the Chippewa River-TR; other-type dam, 8 ft tall and 10 ft long.
- Surface area
- 824 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,747 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 2,747 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 50 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- Otto, Nick;likely EWR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00757 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Moses Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN21-0245-00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate
Most recent sample: 2024-10-01
Monitoring stations: 2