Pebble Lake
Pebble Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 195.34 acres.
- Clarity
- 13 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 62 ft
- Area
- 195 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Pebble Lake is a 195-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 62 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 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Pebble Lake ranks #41 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus level: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 16 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pebble Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pebble Lake in Otter Tail 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
Pebble Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 131 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pebble Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 62 ft |
| Surface Area | 195 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 34% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pebble LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pebble Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 38.47 | 0.66 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 26.33 | 0.34 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 22.66 | 1.31 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 21.93 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 18.03 | 0.08 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.48 | 0.13 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.
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Brown Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-06-17 survey
Pebble Lake is a 169-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located within the city limits of Fergus Falls, MN. Pebble Lake is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed is primarily composed of residential areas interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Pebble Lake is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pebble Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PebbleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pebble (1150)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PebbleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PebblePublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.155 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.53 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.33 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Pebble 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 MN56-0829-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #41 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Pebble Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 13 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 62 ft. Surface area: 195.34 acres.
Is Pebble Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pebble Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 131 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake has a maximum depth of 62 feet. The lake covers 195.34 acres.
What fish are in Pebble Lake?
- Fish species found in Pebble Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Pebble Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pebble Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
190 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA190 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 (2)
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