Ten Mile Lake
Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 13.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 51 ft
- Area
- 1,428 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 11
- Open water
- 250 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
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. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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 with 1 public boat landing. 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. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 13.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 51 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,428 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Tenmile LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-27 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 334.83 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 41.81 | 1.82 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 26.96 | — |
| Walleye | 24.12 | 1.22 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 23.77 | 0.15 lb |
| Bluegill | 22.12 | 0.25 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.
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.015 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.41 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.17 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 250 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-22 (2016) | 2008-04-26 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-27 (2007) | 2001-12-19 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2020-04-12
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0613-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #32 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Ten Mile Lake
What is the water quality grade for Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Ten Mile Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Are there boat ramps on Ten Mile Lake?
- Ten Mile Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Tenmile Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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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)
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