Sybil Lake
Sybil Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 682.86 acres.
- Clarity
- 20 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 74 ft
- Area
- 683 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 229 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Sybil Lake is a 683-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 74 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Sybil Lake ranks #34 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 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 20 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 20 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sybil Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sybil 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
Sybil Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 34 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sybil Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 74 ft |
| Surface Area | 683 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 62% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Sybil LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sybil 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 22.46 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 15.46 | 0.91 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.68 | 0.74 lb |
| Walleye | 3.18 | 1.8 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.09 | 0.11 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.09 | 1.33 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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
Walleye
From the 2025-07-28 survey
Sybil Lake is a 706-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately four miles south of Vergas, MN. Sybil Lake is connected to Loon Lake via an unnavigable inlet along the west shoreline. Sybil Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sybil Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SybilFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sybil (1197)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SybilFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SybilPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.006 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.89 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (44 observations).
Estimated open water season: 229 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1986-11-19 (1986) | 1998-12-21 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-04
EPA Impairment Status
Sybil 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 MN56-0387-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #34 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Sybil Lake
What is the water quality grade for Sybil Lake?
- Sybil Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 74 ft. Surface area: 682.86 acres.
Is Sybil Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Sybil Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sybil Lake?
- Sybil Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 34 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sybil Lake?
- Sybil Lake has a maximum depth of 74 feet. The lake covers 682.86 acres.
What fish are in Sybil Lake?
- Fish species found in Sybil Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Sybil Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Sybil Lake thaw?
- Sybil Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Are there boat ramps on Sybil Lake?
- Sybil Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Sybil Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Sybil Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
140 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
MNPCA140 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