Pelican Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota3,962 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Pelican Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 55 ft max depth
- Public access
Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 3961.78 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 11.58 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–28 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pelican Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 60 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Pelican Lake is a 3,962-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 55 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Pelican Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Pelican Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water16.4 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing20 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 19
- Deep water55 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water3,962 acres
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. Pelican Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pelican 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 Pelican Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Pelican Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 16.4 ft down. Phosphorus 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 16.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3µg/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. | 40 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pelican Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 120 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pelican Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (11,588 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 11.58 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–28 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-15 (Targeted Survey).
15 surveys on file · most recent 2025-04-15 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muskellunge | 2112.20 | 23–50 in 2025-04-15 | 14.02 lb |
| Bluegill | 23.34 | 2–9 in 2024-07-22 | 0.2 lb |
| Walleye | 11.92 | 5–28 in 2024-07-22 | 1.91 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.22 | 3–9 in 2024-07-22 | 0.1 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.62 | 3–9 in 2024-07-22 | 0.23 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.14 | 4–7 in 2024-07-22 | 0.19 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.
Muskellunge
Bluegill
Walleye
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-04-15 survey
Fergus Falls Area Fisheries conducted the second and final phase of a mark-recapture sampling effort on the Pelican Chain of Lakes in 2025. Fish were sampled by spring boat electrofishing and assessed for a PIT tag, determining if a fish had been marked in a prior sampling effort or year. Sampling took place for five…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pelican Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PelicanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pelican (1138)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PelicanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PelicanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
55 ft
Surface area
3,962 acres
Shoreline
17.1 mi
Littoral zone
41%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Pelican Lake (West)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pelican Lake
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Follow Pelican Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pelican 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.21 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 19
Earliest Mar 31, 2016 · Latest May 13, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Mar 31
2016
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pelican Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pelican Lake (completed 1938), built primarily for recreation on the Pelican River; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 140 ft long.
- Surface area
- 3,962 ac
- Normal storage
- 61,950 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 70,250 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 242 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00198 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pelican 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 MN56-0786-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
Where is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican 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 Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 55 ft. Surface area: 3961.78 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pelican 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 Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 120 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 55 feet. The lake covers 3961.78 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pelican Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pelican Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 11.58 walleye per gill net at Pelican Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–28 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pelican 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 Pelican Lake thaw?
- Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 19.
Does Pelican Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pelican Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (11,588 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pelican Lake (West). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pelican Lake?
- Pelican 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 Pelican Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
198 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA198 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 (4)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate