Upper Tad Lake
Upper Tad Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 539.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 39.05 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 78°F
- Max depth
- 8 ft
- Area
- 39 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Upper Tad Lake →
Next lake in Kandiyohi County
Upper Tad Lake is a 39-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 8 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Upper Tad Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-24. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Upper Tad Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.5 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 539.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 84.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 78.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 539.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 84.1 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 78 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Upper Tad Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Tad Lake in Kandiyohi 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 Upper Tad Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Upper Tad 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 →
Water Temperature
Upper Tad Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 65°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft |
| Surface Area | 39 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | No |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Upper Tad Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-22 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 67.55 | 0.43 lb |
| Black Crappie | 61.72 | 0.28 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 58.62 | 0.22 lb |
| Bluegill | 18.68 | 0.17 lb |
| Common Carp | 12.52 | 2.97 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.99 | 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
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
From the 2025-04-22 survey
A targeted survey of Tadd & Upper was conducted with standard survey trapnets during late-April and single frame 1/2-inch mesh trapnets in mid-September of 2025. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper Tad Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — UnnamedFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — UnnamedFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.65 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +159 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -29.3 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Upper Tad Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Bushmills EthanolAtwater · 0.8 mi away · NPDES MN0067211
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 #24 of 25 lakes in Kandiyohi County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Upper Tad Lake holds Grade F. 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 Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Tad Lake
What is the water quality grade for Upper Tad Lake?
- Upper Tad Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 539.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 84.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 39.05 acres.
Is Upper Tad Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Upper Tad Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 84.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Upper Tad Lake?
- Upper Tad Lake typically sits around 78°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Tad Lake?
- Upper Tad Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 39.05 acres.
What fish are in Upper Tad Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Tad Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Upper Tad Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
Explore Upper Tad Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Kandiyohi County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Crow River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Upper Tad Lake
Other Grade F Lakes in Minnesota
Hypereutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
29 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA29 samples · 2024–2025
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder