Okabena Lake
Nobles County, Minnesota776 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Okabena Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Okabena Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 166.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 776.05 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2022 caught 16.67 walleye per gill net at Okabena Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–9 inches. DNR survey details →
Okabena Lake is a 776-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Nobles County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet (8-foot average). The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 4 other monitored lakes in Nobles County, Okabena Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Okabena Lake covers about 780 acres in Nobles County. It has 3 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is March 26, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Okabena Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Okabena Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Fishing18 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Mar 26
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Okabena Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Okabena 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 Okabena Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Okabena Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 166.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 24.1 µg/L. TSI 67.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3.3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 167µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 24.1µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 67 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Okabena Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2022 caught 16.67 walleye per gill net at Okabena Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–9 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Okabena Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-11-03 (Targeted Survey).
21 surveys on file · most recent 2025-11-03 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 19.86 | 7–10 in 2022-08-15 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.78 | 10–14 in 2022-08-15 | 0.62 lb |
| Walleye | 17.17 | 8–9 in 2025-11-03 | 1.01 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 15.32 |
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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Walleye
From the 2025-11-03 survey
Okabena Lake is a 776-acre lake, located in Nobles County in the City of Worthington. Okabena Lake is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and Crappie. Lower Mississippi Strain (LMS) Walleye fry has been stocked in Okabena Lake periodically since the spring of 2018,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Okabena Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OkabenaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OkabenaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OkabenaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Average depth
8 ft
Surface area
776 acres
Shoreline
6.5 mi
Littoral zone
97%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
10 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,575 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Okabena Lake (South)Public
- Okabena Lake (East)Public
- Okabena Lake (North)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Okabena Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Okabena Lake in Nobles 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Okabena Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Okabena Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Okabena Lake
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Mar 26
Earliest Mar 10, 1987 · Latest Apr 18, 1979
Most recent ice-out
Mar 14
2012
24 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Okabena Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Lake Okabena (completed 1941), built primarily for recreation on the Ocheydan River-TR; gravity-type dam, 12 ft tall and 50 ft long.
- Surface area
- 785 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,368 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 10,814 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 22.2 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- City of Worthington
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00103 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Okabena Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN53-0028-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
3 EPA-permitted facilities operate within about 5 miles of Okabena Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits, including 2 classified by the EPA as major dischargers. 2 facilities have a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Worthington WwtpWorthington · 3.1 mi away · NPDES MN0031186MajorRecent violation
- Worthington Industrial WwtpWorthington · 4.3 mi away · NPDES MN0031178MajorRecent violation
- Hubbard Feeds IncWorthington · 2.1 mi away · NPDES MN0033375
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Nobles County
Frequently asked questions about Okabena Lake
Where is Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake is a lake in Nobles County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 166.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 24.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 776.05 acres.
Is Okabena Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Okabena Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet and an average depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 776.05 acres.
What fish are in Okabena Lake?
- Fish species found in Okabena Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Okabena Lake is located in Nobles County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Okabena Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 15, 2022 caught 16.67 walleye per gill net at Okabena Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–9 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Okabena Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Okabena Lake thaw?
- Okabena Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 26.
Are there boat ramps on Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Okabena Lake (South), Okabena Lake (East), Okabena Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.
Explore Okabena Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Nobles County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Okabena Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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