Sisseton Lake
Sisseton Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 65 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 138.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 19 ft
- Area
- 138 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 2
- Open water
- 243 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Sisseton Lake →
Next lake in Martin County
Sisseton Lake is a 138-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Martin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 11 other monitored lakes in Martin County, Sisseton Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-30. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 65 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 94 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 65 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Sisseton Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sisseton Lake in Martin 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Sisseton Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Sisseton Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sisseton Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Apr (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 106 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sisseton Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 19 ft |
| Surface Area | 138 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 72% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Sisseton LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sisseton Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-09-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| YLB | 33.02 | 0.23 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 18.38 | 0.61 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 15.46 | 0.54 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.20 | 0.27 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 10.52 | — |
| Bluegill | 9.49 | 0.3 lb |
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.
YLB
Freshwater Drum
Black Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2023-09-22 survey
Walleye have been managed for many years in the Fairmont chain-of-lakes. Past stockings have included Walleye fry, fingerling, yearlings, and adults. Essentially, whatever life stage of Walleye was available they would be stocked into the lakes. However, since 2019 the Fairmont chain-of-lakes has been stocked with…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sisseton Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SissetonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SissetonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SissetonPublic 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 | +0.084 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -9.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +4.39 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (118 observations).
Estimated open water season: 243 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2026-03-10 (2026) | 2018-04-29 (2018) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2020-12-15 (2020) |
Most recent ice-out: 2026-03-10
EPA Impairment Status
Sisseton 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 MN46-0025-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Sisseton Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Northern Border Pipeline CoLincoln County · 0.5 mi away · NPDES MN0052329
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 12 lakes in Martin County
Nearby Lakes in Martin County
Frequently asked questions about Sisseton Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sisseton Lake?
- Sisseton Lake in Martin County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 94 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 65 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 138.2 acres.
Is Sisseton Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Sisseton Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 65 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sisseton Lake?
- Sisseton Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 106 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sisseton Lake?
- Sisseton Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 138.2 acres.
What fish are in Sisseton Lake?
- Fish species found in Sisseton Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, quillback, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sisseton Lake is located in Martin County, Minnesota.
When does Sisseton Lake thaw?
- Sisseton Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 2. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 243 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sisseton Lake?
- Sisseton Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sisseton Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sisseton Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
136 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
MNPCA136 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 3 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by fluorometer
- 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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