Stuart Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota740 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Stuart Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 49 ft max depth
- Public access
Stuart Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 739.74 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 3, 2023 caught 5.14 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Stuart Lake. DNR survey details →
Stuart Lake is a 740-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 49 feet (17-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Stuart Lake ranks #23 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Stuart Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 10
- Deep water49 ft surveyed max depth
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. Stuart Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Stuart 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 Stuart Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Stuart Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 40.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/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. | 40 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Stuart Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Stuart Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Oct (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (55°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 92 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stuart Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stuart Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (54,450 cells/mL) on May 9, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 3, 2023 caught 5.14 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Stuart Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stuart 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-28 (Targeted Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2024-05-28 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.77 | 3–9 in 2024-05-28 | 0.23 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.72 | ||
| Spottail Shiner | 12.84 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 6.20 | 5–11 in 2019-06-24 | 0.22 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.
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-05-28 survey
Stuart Lake is a 699-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County, one mile west of Vining, MN. Stuart Lake is connected to East Battle Lake via a non-navigable outlet along the north shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stuart Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StuartFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StuartFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StuartPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
49 ft
Average depth
17 ft
Surface area
740 acres
Shoreline
8 mi
Littoral zone
55%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Stuart 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 Stuart Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stuart Lake in Otter Tail 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 Stuart Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stuart Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.24 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.21 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 10
Earliest Mar 19, 2012 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 24
Earliest Nov 17, 2014 · Latest Dec 7, 2012
Most recent ice-out
Apr 5
2024
16 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Stuart Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0191-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Stuart Lake
Where is Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 49 ft. Surface area: 739.74 acres.
Is Stuart Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Stuart Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake typically sits around 55°F at the surface in October, from 92 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake has a maximum depth of 49 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 739.74 acres.
What fish are in Stuart Lake?
- Fish species found in Stuart Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Stuart Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Stuart Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 3, 2023 caught 5.14 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at Stuart Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stuart 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.
When does Stuart Lake thaw?
- Stuart Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 10. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 228 days.
Does Stuart Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stuart Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (54,450 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stuart Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Stuart Lake?
- Stuart 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 Stuart Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Otter Tail County
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Top lakes and where to stay in the Otter Tail County area
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
190 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA190 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 (3)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate