Stuart Lake
Stuart Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 17.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 49 ft
- Area
- 740 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 10
- Open water
- 228 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
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). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 2 public boat landings. 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. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.5 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Stuart Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 49 ft |
| Average Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 740 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 55% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stuart LakePublic
- Ellingson LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.77 | 0.23 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.72 | — |
| Spottail Shiner | 12.84 | — |
| BCS | 9.56 | — |
| BKF | 8.88 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 6.20 | 0.22 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.345 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.24 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.21 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (16 observations).
Estimated open water season: 228 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-19 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2014-11-17 (2014) | 2012-12-07 (2012) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-04-05
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
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0191-01 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.35 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #23 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Stuart Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Stuart Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Stuart Lake?
- Stuart Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stuart Lake, Ellingson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Stuart Lake across LakeGrade
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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)
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
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