Wall Lake
Wall Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 726.67 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 34 ft
- Area
- 727 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 219 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Wall Lake is a 727-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 34 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Wall Lake ranks #27 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 onlyLow algae
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.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.7 ft. Phosphorus level: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Wall Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wall 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.
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Water Temperature
Wall Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 61 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wall Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 34 ft |
| Surface Area | 727 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 32% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wall LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wall 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-06-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 38.60 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 29.44 | 1.08 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.73 | 0.14 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.55 | 0.25 lb |
| Walleye | 5.09 | 1.83 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.74 | 3.37 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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2025-06-30 survey
Wall Lake is a 683-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in southwestern Otter Tail County approximately five miles east of Fergus Falls, MN. Wall Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. An unnavigable outlet is located along the west shoreline of the lake which is a tributary to the Otter Tail…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wall Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WallFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wall (1149)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WallFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WallPublic 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 | +0.155 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.54 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.1 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 219 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-15 (2016) | 2023-04-30 (2023) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-13 (2018) | 2017-12-07 (2017) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-30
EPA Impairment Status
Wall 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 MN56-0658-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #27 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Wall Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wall Lake?
- Wall Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 21 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 34 ft. Surface area: 726.67 acres.
Is Wall Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Wall Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wall Lake?
- Wall Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 61 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wall Lake?
- Wall Lake has a maximum depth of 34 feet. The lake covers 726.67 acres.
What fish are in Wall Lake?
- Fish species found in Wall Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Wall Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Wall Lake thaw?
- Wall Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 219 days.
Are there boat ramps on Wall Lake?
- Wall Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wall Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wall Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
152 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
MNPCA152 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate