Okabena Lake
Okabena Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 3.3 ft
- Max depth
- 16 ft
- Area
- 776 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Mar 26
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Okabena Lake →
Next lake in Nobles County
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). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2022. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 4 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 166.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 24.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 166.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 24.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Okabena Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Okabena Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16 ft |
| Average Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 776 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 97% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Okabena Lake (West)Public
- Okabena Lake (South)Public
- Okabena Lake (East)Public
- Okabena Lake (North)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Okabena Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-11-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 324.38 | — |
| JND | 45.97 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 19.86 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 17.78 | 0.62 lb |
| Walleye | 17.17 | 1.01 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 15.32 | — |
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.
SUN
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
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (24 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 1987-03-10 (1987) | 1979-04-18 (1979) |
| Ice-In | 1977-11-22 (1977) | 1982-12-08 (1982) |
Most recent ice-out: 2012-03-14
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 5 lakes in Nobles County
Nearby Lakes in Nobles County
Frequently asked questions about Okabena Lake
What is the water quality grade for Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake in Nobles County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Okabena Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 24.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
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.
When does Okabena Lake thaw?
- Okabena Lake typically has ice-out around Mar 26.
Are there boat ramps on Okabena Lake?
- Okabena Lake has 4 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Okabena Lake (West), Okabena Lake (South), Okabena Lake (East), Okabena Lake (North). Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Okabena 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 Nobles County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
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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)
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
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