Ten Mile Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota1,428 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Ten Mile Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 51 ft max depth
- Public access
Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 1427.59 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 10.22 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–25 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Ten Mile Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Ten Mile Lake is a 1,428-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 51 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Ten Mile Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Ten Mile Lake covers about 1,400 acres in Otter Tail County. The median ice-out date is April 11, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Ten Mile Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Ten Mile Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.6 ft of visibility
- Fishing19 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 11
- Deep water51 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,428 acres
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. Ten Mile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Ten Mile Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.6 ft. Phosphorus 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 45.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 24µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.2µg/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. | 45 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Ten Mile Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in Jun (about 67°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (67°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 11 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Ten Mile Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 10.22 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ten Mile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-27 (Targeted Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2025-05-27 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 41.81 | 3–19 in 2024-06-24 | 1.82 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.96 | ||
| Walleye | 24.12 | 6–25 in 2024-06-24 | 1.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 23.77 | 4–7 in 2024-06-24 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.12 | 3–9 in 2025-05-27 | 0.25 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.
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2025-05-27 survey
South Ten Mile Lake is located in southwestern Otter Tail County approximately five miles southwest of Dalton, MN. South Ten Mile Lake is a 1,411-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake that is part of the Pomme de Terre River Watershed. The Pomme de Terre River inlet is located along the north shoreline while the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Ten Mile Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Ten MileFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Ten MilePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
51 ft
Surface area
1,428 acres
Shoreline
9.7 mi
Littoral zone
42%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
115 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,181 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Ten Mile Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Ten Mile 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: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.41 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.17 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 11
Earliest Mar 22, 2016 · Latest Apr 26, 2008
Typical ice-in
Dec 17
Earliest Nov 27, 2007 · Latest Dec 19, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Apr 12
2020
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Ten Mile Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ten Mile Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the Pomme de Terre River; gravity-type dam, 7 ft tall and 60 ft long.
- Surface area
- 2,208 ac
- Normal storage
- 8,920 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 13,380 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 140 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00201 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Ten Mile Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0613-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Ten Mile Lake
Where is Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile 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 Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 51 ft. Surface area: 1427.59 acres.
Is Ten Mile Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Ten Mile Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 11 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake has a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake covers 1427.59 acres.
What fish are in Ten Mile Lake?
- Fish species found in Ten Mile Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, longnose gar, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Ten Mile Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Ten Mile Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 24, 2024 caught 10.22 walleye per gill net at Ten Mile Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 6–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Ten Mile Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Ten Mile Lake thaw?
- Ten Mile Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Dec 17. The open water season is approximately 250 days.
Can I fish at Ten Mile Lake?
- Public access to Ten Mile Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
56 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
MNPCA56 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)
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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate