Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 291.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 46 ft
- Area
- 291 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 236 days
Next lake in Stearns County
Why Pelican Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Pelican Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Pelican Lake is a 291-acre lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet (17-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-12. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Pelican Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pelican Lake in Stearns 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 Pelican Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 82 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 (222,844 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
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 | 46 ft |
| Average Depth | 17.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 291 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 46% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pine LakePublic
- Pelican LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pelican Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 1145.94 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 99.29 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 23.38 | 0.88 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.22 | 0.15 lb |
| Northern Pike | 9.08 | 1.54 lb |
| BNS | 8.28 | — |
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.
Bluntnose Minnow
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Northern Pike
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Pelican Lake is a 337-acre lake located five miles northeast of Avon in Stearns County. It has a maximum depth of 46 feet and a small watershed dominated by agriculture (pasture/row crops) and open water. A state-owned public access is located on the northwest side of the lake. Pelican Lake is primarily managed for…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pelican Lake. 5 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 (0279)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pelican (1981)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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.141 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (100 observations).
Estimated open water season: 236 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-07 (2024) | 2018-05-03 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 1995-11-12 (1995) | 1999-12-21 (1999) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-03-22
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0118-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Pelican Lake
Pelican Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Pelican Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 291.06 acres.
Is Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pelican Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pelican Lake?
- Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 82 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 46 feet and an average depth of 17.4 feet. The lake covers 291.06 acres.
What fish are in Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Pelican Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pelican Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
When does Pelican Lake thaw?
- Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 236 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 (222,844 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 Pine Lake, Pelican Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pelican Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
97 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
MNPCA97 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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