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LakeQuality

Tea Cracker Lake

A
Grade A — Excellent
Excellent · #56 of 84 lakes in the county · 10.2 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 345 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Tea Cracker Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 345.32 acres.

Clarity
10.2 ft
Max depth
73 ft
Area
345 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Trend
Declining
Public access
No

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AIce Cracking Lake12.1 ft clear · Becker CountyView →
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Tea Cracker Lake is a 345-acre mesotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 73 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 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Tea Cracker Lake ranks #56 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-03. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Detroit Lakes

Get alerts for Tea Cracker Lake

Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)

Good clarity, visible to about 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)10.2 ftNot graded
Phosphorus13.5 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)4.8 µg/LGood
Trophic State Index (TSI)44Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Tea Cracker Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Tea Cracker Lake in Becker 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 Tea Cracker Lake

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Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth73 ft
Surface Area345 acres
Shoreline Length3.8 mi
Littoral Zone23%
Public AccessNo

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
1 sq mi
Elevation
1,496 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Fish Species

Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.

Fishing Tea Cracker Lake

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2004-08-09 (Standard Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill15.260.15 lb
Yellow Bass7.500.8 lb
Tullibee (Cisco)4.910.76 lb
Northern Pike4.301.82 lb
Yellow Perch3.880.13 lb
Pumpkinseed3.190.22 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

163 fish · 29 in · 2004-08-09
48240trophy 1023456789

Yellow Bass

191 fish · 812 in · 2004-08-09
7739089101112

Tullibee (Cisco)

17 fish · 614 in · 2004-08-09
63067891011121314

Northern Pike

78 fish · 1130 in · 2004-08-09
179012141618202224262830

From the 2004-08-09 survey

Ice Cracking Lake is a 331 acre lake located in northeastern Becker County along the east edge of the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge. There is no public access but there is a resort/campground with a privately owned access on the east end of the lake. The lake lies within the boundaries of the White Earth Indian…

Source: MN DNR LakeFinder Fisheries Lake Survey

DNR Reports & Resources

Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Tea Cracker Lake. 2 reports on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Declining-0.3 m/yr2
Phosphorus Stable-0.25 µg/L/yr2
Chlorophyll-a Declining+0.45 µg/L/yr2

County Ranking

Ranked #56 of 84 lakes in Becker County

Nearby Lakes in Becker County

Frequently asked questions about Tea Cracker Lake

What is the water quality grade for Tea Cracker Lake?

Tea Cracker Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 73 ft. Surface area: 345.32 acres.

Is Tea Cracker Lake safe to swim in?

Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Tea Cracker Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Tea Cracker Lake?

Tea Cracker Lake has a maximum depth of 73 feet. The lake covers 345.32 acres.

What fish are in Tea Cracker Lake?

Fish species found in Tea Cracker Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Tea Cracker Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.

State Parks Near Tea Cracker Lake

Where this data comes from

34 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)WEARTH_WQX34 samples · 2025

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
  • Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
  • 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
  • Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)

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

Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)

Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder