Scotch Lake
Le Sueur County, Minnesota598 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Scotch Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Hypereutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 11 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Scotch Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 569 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 598.21 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 23, 2023 caught 24.50 walleye per gill net at Scotch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–8 inches. DNR survey details →
Scotch Lake is a 598-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including black bullhead, common carp, and northern pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Le Sueur County, Scotch Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Scotch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Scotch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Scotch 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 Scotch Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Scotch Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2.6 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 569 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 9.7 µg/L. TSI 71.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 569µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 9.7µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 71 | Hypereutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Ask about Scotch Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 23, 2023 caught 24.50 walleye per gill net at Scotch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–8 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Scotch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-08-23 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2023-08-23 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 200.53 | 6–12 in 2023-08-23 | 0.28 lb |
| Common Carp | 28.42 | 6–11 in 2023-08-23 | 1.26 lb |
| Walleye | 12.74 | 6–8 in 2023-08-23 | 1.59 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.23 | 6–10 in 2013-07-22 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.99 | 6–9 in 2023-08-23 | 0.32 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.05 | 15 in 2023-08-23 | 2.46 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.
Black Bullhead
Common Carp
Walleye
Black Crappie
From the 2023-08-23 survey
Scotch Lake is a 565-acre lake located in Le Sueur County near the city of Cleveland. A public access is located on the northwest side of the lake, just off 271st Avenue. Scotch Lake is a shallow basin with a maximum depth of 11 feet. Scotch Lake experienced a strong winterkill during the winter of 2022-2023. Members…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Scotch Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ScotchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ScotchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ScotchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
11 ft
Surface area
598 acres
Shoreline
4.5 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
10 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,001 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Scotch LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Scotch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Scotch Lake in Le Sueur 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Scotch Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Scotch Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Scotch Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2024). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Scotch Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN40-0109-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Le Sueur County
Frequently asked questions about Scotch Lake
Where is Scotch Lake?
- Scotch Lake is a lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Scotch Lake?
- Scotch Lake in Le Sueur County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 569 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 9.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 11 ft. Surface area: 598.21 acres.
Is Scotch Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Scotch Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Scotch Lake?
- Scotch Lake has a maximum depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 598.21 acres.
What fish are in Scotch Lake?
- Fish species found in Scotch Lake include black bullhead, common carp, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch. Scotch Lake is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Scotch Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 23, 2023 caught 24.50 walleye per gill net at Scotch Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–8 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Scotch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Scotch Lake?
- Scotch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Scotch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Scotch Lake?
- Scotch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Scotch Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Le Sueur County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Minnesota River Watershed, ranked by water quality
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Where this data comes from
21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA21 samples · 2020–2024
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
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