Pomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake in Grant County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 1815.67 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 1,816 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
- Open water
- 210 days
Next lake in Grant County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pomme de Terre Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 20 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Why Pomme de Terre 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 Pomme de Terre 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.
Pomme de Terre Lake is a 1,816-acre lake in Grant County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet (10-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 22 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-21. 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 Pomme de Terre Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 4.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Pomme de Terre Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pomme de Terre Lake in Grant 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 Pomme de Terre Lake
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Water Temperature
Pomme de Terre Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Sep (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pomme de Terre Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,816 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 14 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 89% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pomme De Terre Lake (West)Public
- Pomme De Terre Lake (East)Public
- Tipsinah MoundPublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pomme de Terre 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
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| SUN | 32.88 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 21.38 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 20.57 | — |
| JND | 17.92 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.61 | 1.22 lb |
| BKF | 14.41 | — |
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.
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-08-21 survey
Pomme de Terre Lake is a shallow, 1,758-acre basin located on the Pomme de Terre River between the towns of Elbow Lake and Ashby in Grant County. Mean and maximum depths are 10.0 and 23.0 feet, respectively. Three public access locations are available on Pomme de Terre Lake. Boaters should be aware of numerous shallow…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pomme de Terre Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Pomme de TerreFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Pomme de TerreFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Pomme de TerrePublic 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 | +0.061 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
Estimated open water season: 210 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2004-04-06 (2004) | 2015-04-13 (2015) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-03 (2002) | 2003-11-21 (2003) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-09
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Pomme de Terre Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Pomme De Terre (completed 1936), built primarily for recreation on the Pomme de Terre River; gravity-type dam, 10 ft tall and 57 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,948 ac
- Normal storage
- 15,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 23,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 308 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-Wildlife
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01138 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Pomme de Terre 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 MN26-0097-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Pomme de Terre Lake
Pomme de Terre Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grant County
Frequently asked questions about Pomme de Terre Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake in Grant County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 4.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 1815.67 acres.
Is Pomme de Terre Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Pomme de Terre 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 Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 1815.67 acres.
What fish are in Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Fish species found in Pomme de Terre Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Pomme de Terre Lake is located in Grant County, Minnesota.
When does Pomme de Terre Lake thaw?
- Pomme de Terre Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10. Ice typically forms around Nov 6. The open water season is approximately 210 days.
Are there boat ramps on Pomme de Terre Lake?
- Pomme de Terre Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pomme De Terre Lake (West), Pomme De Terre Lake (East), Tipsinah Mound. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pomme de Terre Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Where this data comes from
78 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
MNPCA78 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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