Strandness Lake
Strandness Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 5 ft
- Area
- 92 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Strandness Lake →
Next lake in Pope County
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). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. 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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 66 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 29.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 63.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 66 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 29.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 63 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay 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 grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Strandness Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Strandness Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Strandness Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 5 ft |
| Average Depth | 3.5 ft |
| Surface Area | 92 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Strandness Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2010-08-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Fathead Minnow | 168.63 | — |
| IOD | 49.06 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 34.38 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 29.75 | 0.23 lb |
| BST | 17.92 | — |
| Common Carp | 10.28 | 2.46 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.169 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -2.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -6.6 µg/L/yr | 6 |
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
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.
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Strandness Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Strandness Lake
What is the water quality grade for Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). 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?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Strandness Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 29.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Strandness Lake?
- Strandness Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, 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.
Explore Strandness Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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