Otter Lake

Otter Lake earns an A — every scored parameter (clarity) rates among the best monitored waters in Otter Tail County.

The lake's low TSI puts it in oligotrophic territory — the cleanest of the four trophic classes, but also the most vulnerable to nutrient-driven shifts. At 64 ft of maximum depth, Otter Lake stratifies reliably through the summer — the hypolimnion stays cooler and clearer than the surface layer suggests. The lake is compact at 77 acres, with 2.1 miles of shoreline and little volume to buffer nutrient inputs. Otter Lake ranks 3 of 97 in Otter Tail County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

No invasive species are currently listed at Otter Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. Bass fishing is part of the appeal: the species list runs to 7, anchored by largemouth and/or smallmouth bass. No formal public access is documented at Otter Lake — most use is by shoreline residents and their guests. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.