Welch Lake
Welch Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 196.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 59 ft
- Area
- 196 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Welch Lake is a 196-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 59 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2024. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Welch Lake ranks #86 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-16. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 12.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Welch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Welch Lake in Cass 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
Welch Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 56°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 187 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 59 ft |
| Surface Area | 196 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 40% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Welch Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-05-28 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 16.04 | 0.14 lb |
| CNM | 11.95 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 10.03 | 0.6 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.81 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.89 | 1.02 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.52 | 0.53 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-05-28 survey
Welch Lake (DOW# 11-0493; Lake Class 31) is a 195-acre lake with 78 littoral acres, 2.30 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 59 feet located near Wilkinson, MN. A DNR owned public access is located on the east shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Welch Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WelchFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Welch (1471)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WelchFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WelchPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.608 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -4.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.15 µg/L/yr | 3 |
County Ranking
Ranked #86 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Welch Lake
What is the water quality grade for Welch Lake?
- Welch Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 196.06 acres.
Is Welch Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Welch Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Welch Lake?
- Welch Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 187 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Welch Lake?
- Welch Lake has a maximum depth of 59 feet. The lake covers 196.06 acres.
What fish are in Welch Lake?
- Fish species found in Welch Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Welch Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
30 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA30 samples · 2023–2024
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder