Welsh Lake
Welsh Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 196.06 acres.
- Clarity
- 12.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 59 ft
- Area
- 196 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Cass County
Welsh 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 3 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Welsh Lake ranks #82 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-16. 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: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 42.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 42 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Welsh Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Welsh 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
Welsh Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 60°F) and coldest in May (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 553 field readings (2017–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Welsh Lake water temperature breakdown →
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).
Recreation & Access
- Welsh LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Welsh 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 Welsh 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 #82 of 104 lakes in Cass County
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Welsh Lake
What is the water quality grade for Welsh Lake?
- Welsh Lake in Cass County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 59 ft. Surface area: 196.06 acres.
Is Welsh Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Welsh Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Welsh Lake?
- Welsh Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 553 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Welsh Lake?
- Welsh Lake has a maximum depth of 59 feet. The lake covers 196.06 acres.
What fish are in Welsh Lake?
- Fish species found in Welsh 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. Welsh Lake is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Welsh Lake?
- Welsh Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Welsh Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Welsh Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
48 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX48 samples · 2023–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory