Vermont Lake
Douglas County, Minnesota342 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Vermont Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 59 ft max depth
- Public access
Vermont Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 341.92 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2022 caught 1.56 black crappie per trap net at Vermont Lake. DNR survey details →
Vermont Lake is a 342-acre mesotrophic lake in Douglas County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 59 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 36 other monitored lakes in Douglas County, Vermont Lake ranks #6 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-03. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Vermont Lake covers about 340 acres in Douglas County. The median ice-out date is April 11, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Vermont Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Vermont Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14.1 ft of visibility
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 11
- Deep water59 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Vermont Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Vermont Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Vermont Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft. Phosphorus 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Vermont Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Vermont Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 42 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Vermont Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2022 caught 1.56 black crappie per trap net at Vermont Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Vermont Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-05-12 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2022-05-12 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 43.85 | 3–10 in 2022-05-12 | 0.23 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 28.36 | 7 in 2014-06-16 | 0.18 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 16.27 | 8–18 in 2020-07-06 | 0.93 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 14.37 | 8–12 in 2021-06-22 | 0.44 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.83 | 12–19 in 2021-06-22 | 1.36 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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 Bullhead
From the 2022-05-12 survey
A targeted survey was conducted in spring 2022 to assess the Bluegill and Black Crappie populations. This was the first targeted spring panfish survey on Lake Vermont and will be used as a baseline to evaluate the effects of the new Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI) regulation. On March 1, 2022, a special regulation…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Vermont Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VermontFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Vermont (0912)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VermontFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VermontPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
59 ft
Average depth
12 ft
Surface area
342 acres
Shoreline
6.5 mi
Littoral zone
64%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,427 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Vermont Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Vermont 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 Vermont Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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 →
Follow Vermont Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Vermont Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Stable-0.23 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Stable+0.07 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 11
Earliest Mar 10, 2024 · Latest May 11, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 17, 2002 · Latest Dec 17, 2001
Most recent ice-out
Mar 10
2024
11 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Douglas County
Frequently asked questions about Vermont Lake
Where is Vermont Lake?
- Vermont Lake is a lake in Douglas County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Vermont Lake?
- Vermont Lake in Douglas County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 341.92 acres.
Is Vermont Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Vermont Lake?
- Vermont Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in September, from 42 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Vermont Lake?
- Vermont Lake has a maximum depth of 59 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 341.92 acres.
What fish are in Vermont Lake?
- Fish species found in Vermont Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Vermont Lake is located in Douglas County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Vermont Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 12, 2022 caught 1.56 black crappie per trap net at Vermont Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Vermont Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Vermont Lake thaw?
- Vermont Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 11. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 236 days.
Can I fish at Vermont Lake?
- Public access to Vermont Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Vermont Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Douglas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Alexandria Lakes area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the St. Croix Watershed, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
115 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA115 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 (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate