Otter Lake
Otter Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 91.75 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Max depth
- 51 ft
- Area
- 92 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Stearns County
Otter Lake is a 92-acre mesotrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 feet (24-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2023. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Otter Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-07-10. 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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 9.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 47.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 9.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 47 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Otter Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Otter Lake in Stearns 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft |
| Average Depth | 24.1 ft |
| Surface Area | 92 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 35% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Black PoolPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Otter 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-08-15 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 13.41 | 0.14 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.75 | 1.14 lb |
| Black Crappie | 4.08 | 0.38 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.88 | 0.63 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.81 | 1.69 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 3.00 | 0.6 lb |
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
Black Crappie
Yellow Bass
From the 2011-08-15 survey
Otter Lake is a 96 acre lake located two miles east of Fairhaven in Stearns County. The lake has good water quality and extensive stands of cattail and bulrush. Public access is through a navigable channel from Clearwater Lake. Northern pike, walleye, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie are present in the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Otter Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OtterFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.119 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.69 µg/L/yr | 4 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.95 µg/L/yr | 4 |
EPA Impairment Status
Otter 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 MN86-0252-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.84 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Otter Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Otter Lake
What is the water quality grade for Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 91.75 acres.
Is Otter Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Otter Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 9.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet and an average depth of 24.1 feet. The lake covers 91.75 acres.
What fish are in Otter Lake?
- Fish species found in Otter Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead. Otter Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Black Pool. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Otter Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
28 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA28 samples · 2020–2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory