Pebble Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota195 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pebble Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 62 ft max depth
- Public access
Pebble Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 17, 2024 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Pebble Lake. DNR survey details →
Pebble Lake is a 195-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 62 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pebble Lake covers about 200 acres in Otter Tail County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Pebble Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Pebble Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Deep water62 ft surveyed max depth
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. Pebble Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pebble 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 Pebble Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pebble Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13 ft. Phosphorus 16 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.9 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 16µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.9µg/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 Pebble Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pebble Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (71°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 17, 2024 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Pebble Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pebble 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
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2024-06-17 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 38.47 | 3–20 in 2017-07-31 | 0.66 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 26.33 | 5–11 in 2011-08-01 | 0.34 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 22.66 | 15 in 2024-06-17 | 1.31 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 21.93 | 7 in 2024-06-17 | 0.12 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 18.03 | 3 in 2017-07-31 | 0.08 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.48 | 1–8 in 2024-06-17 | 0.13 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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
62 ft
Surface area
195 acres
Shoreline
2.4 mi
Littoral zone
34%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,191 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pebble 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 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Pebble Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pebble Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.53 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.33 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0829-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Pebble Lake
Where is Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pebble 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 Pebble Lake?
- Pebble Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pebble Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 17, 2024 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Pebble Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pebble 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.
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.
Can I fish at Pebble Lake?
- Pebble 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.
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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)
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