Palmer Lake
Palmer Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 146 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 20
- Open water
- 220 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Palmer Lake is a 146-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 2 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Palmer Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Surface Area | 146 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Palmer LakePublic
- Crow Wing Lake #1Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Palmer Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-08-02 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 56.30 | — |
| Bluegill | 28.90 | 0.17 lb |
| IOD | 23.63 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 17.22 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.33 | 0.8 lb |
| JND | 9.54 | — |
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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.045 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.67 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (33 observations).
Estimated open water season: 220 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-15 (2024) | 2002-05-15 (2002) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2001-12-08 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-13
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0087-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #43 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Palmer Lake
What is the water quality grade for Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Palmer Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Palmer Lake?
- Palmer Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Palmer Lake, Crow Wing Lake #1. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Palmer Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate