Palmer Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota146 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Palmer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 21 ft max depth
- Public access
Palmer Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 146.25 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 2, 2021 caught 13.61 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Palmer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. DNR survey details →
Palmer Lake is a 146-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Palmer Lake ranks #43 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-11. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Palmer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 20
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Palmer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Palmer 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 Palmer Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Palmer Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.4 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Palmer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Palmer Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Palmer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 2, 2021 caught 13.61 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Palmer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Palmer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-02 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2021-08-02 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 56.30 | ||
| Bluegill | 28.90 | 3–8 in 2021-06-28 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.22 | 5–8 in 2021-06-28 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.33 | 5–17 in 2021-06-28 | 0.8 lb |
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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
From the 2021-08-02 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Palmer Lake was conducted on August 2, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Palmer Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PalmerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Palmer (1274)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PalmerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PalmerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
21 ft
Surface area
146 acres
Shoreline
2.7 mi
Littoral zone
63%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,358 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Palmer LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Palmer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Palmer Lake in Hubbard 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 Palmer Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Palmer Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.67 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.21 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 20
Earliest Mar 15, 2024 · Latest May 15, 2002
Typical ice-in
Nov 26
Earliest Nov 10, 2018 · Latest Dec 8, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 13
2025
33 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Palmer 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: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0087-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Palmer Lake
Where is Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 146.25 acres.
Is Palmer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Palmer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet. The lake covers 146.25 acres.
What fish are in Palmer Lake?
- Fish species found in Palmer Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Palmer Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Palmer Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 2, 2021 caught 13.61 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Palmer Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Palmer Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Palmer Lake thaw?
- Palmer Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 20. Ice typically forms around Nov 26. The open water season is approximately 220 days.
Are there boat ramps on Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Palmer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Palmer Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
107 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA107 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
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