Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 218.04 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 21 ft
- Area
- 218 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Douglas County
Why Turtle Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Turtle Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Turtle Lake is a 218-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 21 feet (7-foot average). The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-08-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Turtle Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Turtle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Turtle Lake in Douglas 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 Turtle Lake
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 21 ft |
| Average Depth | 7 ft |
| Surface Area | 218 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 88% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Turtle LakePublic
- Lake Reno (Northeast)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Turtle 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: 2021-07-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 42.75 | — |
| Bluegill | 20.80 | 0.2 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 18.10 | 0.08 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.78 | 1.41 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.43 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 9.04 | 0.32 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
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2021-07-12 survey
Turtle Lake is a shallow, productive basin located in southern Douglas County. Consisting of two large bays, average depth is only 7.0 feet and aquatic vegetation is common. Water clarity was approximately 13.0 feet at the time of the July survey. A concrete boat launch is located in the southwest corner of Turtle…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Turtle Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Turtle (0923)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — TurtleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TurtlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Turtle 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 MN21-0079-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.18 km)
Graded lakes near Turtle Lake
Turtle Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Turtle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 21 ft. Surface area: 218.04 acres.
Is Turtle Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Turtle Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has a maximum depth of 21 feet and an average depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 218.04 acres.
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
- Fish species found in Turtle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Turtle Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Turtle Lake?
- Turtle Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Turtle Lake, Lake Reno (Northeast). Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
7 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA7 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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