Round Lake
Round Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 157.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 11.2 ft
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 158 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Round Lake is a 158-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Round Lake ranks #3 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 11.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Round Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Round Lake in Otter Tail 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Surface Area | 158 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 81% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Riverside (West)Public
- Highway 72 BridgePublic
Fishing Round Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1991-08-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Pumpkinseed | 89.29 | 0.07 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 41.15 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 39.79 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 35.70 | 0.13 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 20.34 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 9.70 | 0.11 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
From the 1991-08-12 survey
Round lake is in class 38 of the MN DNR lake classification system. Other area lakes included in this class are: Block, Buchanan, Elbow, and Sand. Northern pike were not represented in the gill net sample. Pike gill net CPUE in the 1975 survey was 2.5 per net. Black bullhead abundance declined from 118.0 per gill net…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Round Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — RoundFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — RoundFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.07 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.33 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #3 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Round Lake
What is the water quality grade for Round Lake?
- Round Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 11.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 157.63 acres.
Is Round Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Round Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Round Lake?
- Round Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet. The lake covers 157.63 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Round Lake?
- Round Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Riverside (West), Highway 72 Bridge. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
64 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
MNPCA64 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory