Villard Lake
Villard Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 544.39 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 16 ft
- Area
- 544 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Pope County
Villard Lake is a 544-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet (10-foot average). Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Villard Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 13 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 55.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 31 µg/L | Fair |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 13 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 55 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Villard Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Villard Lake in Pope 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.
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Water Temperature
Villard Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 44 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Villard Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 16 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 544 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 99% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Villard LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Villard 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 30.65 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.87 | 0.21 lb |
| GOS | 16.10 | 0.07 lb |
| IOD | 15.28 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.19 | 1.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 9.54 | 0.14 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
GOS
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-07-14 survey
Villard Lake is a shallow, 544-acre lake located west of the city of Villard in northeast Pope County. A concrete access is located off County Highway 28 on the northeast corner of the lake. The lake is the middle basin within a chain of three lakes (Leven, Villard, and Amelia). Villard Lake averages 10 feet, with a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Villard Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — VillardFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — VillardFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — VillardPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.045 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.97 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.19 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Villard 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 MN61-0067-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Villard Lake holds Grade C. 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 Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Villard Lake
What is the water quality grade for Villard Lake?
- Villard Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13 µg/L. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 544.39 acres.
Is Villard Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Villard Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 13 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Villard Lake?
- Villard Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 44 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Villard Lake?
- Villard Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 544.39 acres.
What fish are in Villard Lake?
- Fish species found in Villard Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Villard Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Villard Lake?
- Villard Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Villard Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Villard Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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Where this data comes from
132 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
MNPCA132 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)
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