Moses Lake
Moses Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 823.82 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- 32 ft
- Area
- 824 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 17
- Open water
- 230 days
Next lake in Douglas County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Moses Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Moses Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Moses Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Moses Lake is a 824-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 32 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Moses Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Moses Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moses 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 Moses Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Moses Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 64 field readings (2019–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Moses Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft |
| Average Depth | 16 ft |
| Surface Area | 824 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 48% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lake MosesPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Moses 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
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.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.38 m/yr | 6 |
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
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
Graded lakes near Moses Lake
Moses Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Moses Lake
What is the water quality grade for Moses Lake?
- Moses Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 16.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 823.82 acres.
Is Moses Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Moses Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Moses Lake?
- Moses Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 64 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Moses Lake?
- Moses Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 823.82 acres.
What fish are in Moses Lake?
- Fish species found in Moses Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Moses Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
When does Moses Lake thaw?
- Moses Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 230 days.
Are there boat ramps on Moses Lake?
- Moses Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Moses. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Moses Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
44 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA44 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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