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LakeQuality

Unnamed Lake

NR
Not yet rated
15.1 ft clear · Oligotrophic · 1,357 acres
Limited DataOligotrophic

Unnamed Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1356.82 acres.

Clarity
15.1 ft
Max depth
95 ft
Area
1,357 acres
Trend
Declining
Public access
Yes
Ice-out
Apr 25
Open water
218 days

Next lake in Otter Tail County

BStalker Lake6.6 ft clear · Otter Tail CountyView →
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Why Unnamed 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 Unnamed Lake, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, 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.

Unnamed Lake is a 1,357-acre lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 95 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-08-02. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Not rated

Limited data

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Alexandria

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Water quality measurements for Unnamed Lake

These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.

Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)15.1 ftNot graded
Phosphorus9 µg/LNot graded
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)2.6 µg/LNot graded
Trophic State Index (TSI)38Oligotrophic

Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming

Where to stay near Unnamed Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Unnamed 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 Unnamed 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

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth95 ft
Surface Area1,357 acres
Shoreline Length8.1 mi
Littoral Zone42%
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
10 sq mi
Elevation
1,273 ft

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

Fish Species

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

Fishing Unnamed 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.

flowering rush

DNR Fisheries Survey Summary

11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Targeted Survey).

Top Species by Catch Rate

SpeciesAvg CPUEAvg Weight
Bluegill21.770.12 lb
BKF19.94
Largemouth Bass18.061.52 lb
BCS15.36
Yellow Perch12.090.14 lb
Bluntnose Minnow6.71

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

14 fish · 36 in · 2022-08-08
7403456

Largemouth Bass

2 fish · 1218 in · 2022-08-08
1012131415161718

Yellow Perch

38 fish · 58 in · 2022-08-08
14705678

From the 2022-08-08 survey

Stalker Lake is a 1,280-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in southwestern Otter Tail County, approximately seven miles southeast of Underwood, MN. Stalker Lake is part of the Pomme de Terre River Watershed. The Pomme de Terre River outlet is located along the southwest shoreline of the lake. The…

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 Unnamed Lake. 4 reports on file.

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

Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).

MetricTrendChange/YearYears
Water Clarity Stable+0.04 m/yr5
Phosphorus Stable+0.1 µg/L/yr5
Chlorophyll-a Declining+1.47 µg/L/yr5
See year-by-year chart →

Ice Season

Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).

Typical Ice-Out
Apr 25
Typical Ice-In
Nov 29

Estimated open water season: 218 days

EarliestLatest
Ice-Out2007-04-19 (2007)2008-04-30 (2008)
Ice-In2007-11-27 (2007)2024-12-01 (2024)

Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-30

EPA Impairment Status

Unnamed Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0437-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.78 km)

Graded lakes near Unnamed Lake

Unnamed Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.

Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County

Frequently asked questions about Unnamed Lake

What is the water quality grade for Unnamed Lake?

Unnamed Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1356.82 acres.

Is Unnamed Lake safe to swim in?

Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Unnamed Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Unnamed Lake?

Unnamed Lake has a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake covers 1356.82 acres.

What fish are in Unnamed Lake?

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

When does Unnamed Lake thaw?

Unnamed Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 218 days.

Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota

Where this data comes from

4 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

  • Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface WaterMNPCA4 samples · 2023

Analytical methods

  • Field measurement/observation, generic method
  • Phosphorus by Colorimetry
  • 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
  • 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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

Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate