Peterson Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota2,540 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Peterson Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- zebra mussel
- 69 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Peterson Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 2539.81 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Peterson Lake. DNR survey details →
Peterson Lake is a 2,540-acre lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 69 feet. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-07-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Peterson Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 14
- Deep water69 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,540 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Peterson 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 Peterson Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Peterson Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. TSI 52.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 52 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Peterson Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Peterson Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Sep (about 68°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (68°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Peterson Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Peterson Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Peterson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-15 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 76.74 | ||
| Bluegill | 39.67 | 3–8 in 2024-07-15 | 0.12 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 15.88 | 20 in 2024-07-15 | 1.69 lb |
| Rock Bass | 10.91 | 3–9 in 2024-07-15 | 0.3 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.89 | 5–10 in 2024-07-15 | 0.14 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.
Bluegill
Smallmouth Bass
Rock Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-15 survey
Clitherall Lake is a 2,493-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately one mile south of Clitherall, MN. Clitherall Lake is connected to Crane Lake via a non-navigable inlet along the south shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Peterson Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ClitherallFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Clitherall (1190)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ClitherallFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ClitherallPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
69 ft
Surface area
2,540 acres
Shoreline
14.8 mi
Littoral zone
32%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,342 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Peterson Lake
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Top-rated places to stay near Peterson Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Peterson 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.
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 14
Earliest Mar 15, 2024 · Latest May 4, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 22, 2002 · Latest Dec 30, 2023
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2025
25 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Peterson Lake
Where is Peterson Lake?
- Peterson 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 Peterson Lake?
- Peterson Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 2539.81 acres.
Is Peterson Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Peterson Lake?
- Peterson Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Peterson Lake?
- Peterson Lake has a maximum depth of 69 feet. The lake covers 2539.81 acres.
What fish are in Peterson Lake?
- Fish species found in Peterson Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Peterson Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Peterson Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 15, 2024 caught 5.33 walleye per gill net at Peterson Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Peterson Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Peterson Lake thaw?
- Peterson Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 14. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Can I fish at Peterson Lake?
- Public access to Peterson Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Peterson Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
1 measurement from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture - Pesticide Monitoring
MNDA_PESTICIDE1 sample · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate