Uff Lake
Uff Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 3.9 ft
- Mean depth
- ~6 ft est.
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Uff Lake →
Next lake in Polk County
Uff Lake is a productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Polk County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 6 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Polk County, Uff Lake ranks #15 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 3.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 20.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 58.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 35 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 20.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 58 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Uff Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Uff Lake in Polk 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Uff Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Uff Lake
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Depth | ~6 ft est. |
| Public Access | No |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Uff Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Fishing Uff Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.075 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1.5 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -3.2 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Uff 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 MN60-0119-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Uff Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Fosston WwtpFosston · 1.5 mi away · NPDES MN0022128Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #15 of 19 lakes in Polk County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Uff Lake holds Grade D. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Polk County
Frequently asked questions about Uff Lake
What is the water quality grade for Uff Lake?
- Uff Lake in Polk County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 35 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.5 µg/L.
Is Uff Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Uff Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 20.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Uff Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Uff Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 6 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
Explore Uff Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
45 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA45 samples · 2023–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder