Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 517.77 acres.
- Clarity
- 5.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 518 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 6
- Open water
- 233 days
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Pelican Lake →
Next lake in Pope County
Pelican Lake is a 518-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Pelican Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 23.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 5.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 50 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 23.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican Lake in Pope 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Pelican Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Pelican Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 58 field readings (2011–2025) 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 high (337,287 cells/mL) on July 18, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 518 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 81% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Minnewaska Lake (North)Public
- Pelican LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-13 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 78.90 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 30.53 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluegill | 28.44 | 0.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 21.90 | 0.56 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.97 | 1.11 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.34 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2022-06-13 survey
Pelican Lake is a productive, moderately-sized (519-acre) lake located just north of Lake Minnewaska in central Pope County. Maximum depth of the basin is 34 feet. Approximately 80% of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. Due to a large watershed area and nutrient enrichment, water quality can be seasonally impaired…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pelican Lake. 3 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
- —Fish Stocking History — PelicanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PelicanPublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.228 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.02 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-08 (2024) | 2023-04-27 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2004-12-14 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-01
EPA Impairment Status
Pelican Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0111-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Pelican Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 50 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 23.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 517.77 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Pelican Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 23.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 58 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 517.77 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pelican Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
When does Pelican Lake thaw?
- Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 6. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
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 high (337,287 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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Minnewaska Lake (North), Pelican Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pelican Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
124 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
MNPCA124 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