West Battle Lake
West Battle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 5614.95 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Max depth
- 108 ft
- Area
- 5,615 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
- Open water
- 229 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of West Battle Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 100 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
West Battle Lake is a 5,615-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 108 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 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, West Battle Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near West Battle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Battle 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.
Top-rated places to stay near West Battle Lake
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for West Battle Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (57,544 cells/mL) on November 29, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 108 ft |
| Surface Area | 5,615 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 44% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Molly Stark LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Battle 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 33.78 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 11.42 | 0.17 lb |
| Rock Bass | 5.70 | 0.39 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.57 | 0.21 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.11 | 0.23 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.56 | 2.16 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
Yellow Perch
Rock Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2025-04-21 survey
West Battle Lake is a 5,624-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County. The city of Battle Lake, Minnesota abuts the west shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 108 feet; however,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Battle Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — West BattleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — West Battle (1195)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — West BattleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West BattlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.171 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.5 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.34 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (57 observations).
Estimated open water season: 229 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-19 (2024) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-26 (2002) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
West Battle 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 MN56-0239-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #20 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about West Battle Lake
What is the water quality grade for West Battle Lake?
- West Battle Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 108 ft. Surface area: 5614.95 acres.
Is West Battle Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. West Battle Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is West Battle Lake?
- West Battle Lake has a maximum depth of 108 feet. The lake covers 5614.95 acres.
What fish are in West Battle Lake?
- Fish species found in West Battle Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. West Battle Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does West Battle Lake thaw?
- West Battle Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 229 days.
Does West Battle Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for West Battle Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (57,544 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on West Battle Lake?
- West Battle Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Molly Stark Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore West Battle Lake across LakeGrade
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Otter Tail County · Grade A
Otter Tail County · Grade A
Otter Tail County · Grade A
Otter Tail County · Grade A
Otter Tail County · Grade A
Where this data comes from
247 measurements from 4 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
MNPCA247 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 (4)
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