South Tamarac Lake
Becker County, MinnesotaView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for South Tamarac Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
South Tamarac Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L.
South Tamarac Lake is a mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, South Tamarac Lake ranks #50 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What South Tamarac Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether South Tamarac 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 South Tamarac Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for South Tamarac 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 6 ft. Phosphorus 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 48.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 21µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 48 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about South Tamarac Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
South Tamarac Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 80°F) and coldest in Sep (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (80°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 16 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full South Tamarac Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Surface area
593 acres
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,437 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tamarack Lake (Southeast)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near South Tamarac Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near South Tamarac Lake in Becker 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 South Tamarac Lake
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Fishing South Tamarac Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.7 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about South Tamarac Lake
Where is South Tamarac Lake?
- South Tamarac Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of South Tamarac Lake?
- South Tamarac Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L.
Is South Tamarac 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 South Tamarac Lake?
- South Tamarac Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in September, from 16 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is South Tamarac Lake?
- The available depth estimate for South Tamarac Lake is shallower than its measured water clarity, which cannot be right, so no depth is shown.
Are there boat ramps on South Tamarac Lake?
- South Tamarac Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tamarack Lake (Southeast). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at South Tamarac Lake?
- South Tamarac 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 South Tamarac Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA31 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric 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)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory