Strandness Lake
Pope County, Minnesota92 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Strandness Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 5 ft max depth
Strandness Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 66 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 92.06 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 30, 2010 caught 15.00 walleye per gill net at Strandness Lake. DNR survey details →
Strandness Lake is a 92-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 5 feet (4-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black bullhead, brown bullhead, and common carp. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Strandness Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Strandness Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing9 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. Strandness Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Strandness 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 Strandness Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Strandness 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 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 66 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 29.4 µg/L. TSI 63.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 3ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 66µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 29.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 63 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Strandness Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Strandness Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (59°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 30 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Strandness Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 30, 2010 caught 15.00 walleye per gill net at Strandness Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strandness Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-08-30 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 2010-08-30 (Standard Survey)
16 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 168.63 | ||
| Black Bullhead | 34.38 | 3–11 in 2010-08-30 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.75 | 6–11 in 2010-08-30 | 0.23 lb |
| Common Carp | 10.28 | 7–26 in 2010-08-30 | 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
Yellow Perch
Common Carp
From the 2010-08-30 survey
Strandness Lake is a shallow basin located in the flowage of Trapper's Run Creek. It lies between Malmedahl and Pelican Lakes, each of which is listed as impaired waters. Maximum depth of Strandness Lake is 5.0 feet. Undoubtedly, Strandness Lake holds little dissovled oxygen during winter months. Partial and severe…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Strandness Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StrandnessFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
5 ft
Average depth
3.5 ft
Surface area
92 acres
Shoreline
2.2 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
28 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,220 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Strandness Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Strandness Lake in Pope 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 Strandness Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Strandness 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 Strandness Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-2.4 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-6.6 µg/L/yr6 years
EPA Impairment Status
Strandness 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 MN61-0128-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Strandness Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Starbuck WwtpStarbuck · 4.1 mi away · NPDES MN0021415
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.
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Strandness Lake
Where is Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 66 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 29.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 5 ft. Surface area: 92.06 acres.
Is Strandness Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Strandness Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 30 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake has a maximum depth of 5 feet and an average depth of 3.5 feet. The lake covers 92.06 acres.
What fish are in Strandness Lake?
- Fish species found in Strandness Lake include black bullhead, brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Strandness Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Strandness Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 30, 2010 caught 15.00 walleye per gill net at Strandness Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Strandness Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Strandness Lake?
- Public access to Strandness Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Strandness Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
85 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
MNPCA85 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)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder