West Lost Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota795 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for West Lost Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 16 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
West Lost Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 794.65 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 13, 2017 caught 1.55 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at West Lost Lake. DNR survey details →
West Lost Lake is a 795-acre lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-08-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
West Lost Lake covers about 790 acres in Otter Tail County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around West Lost Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What West Lost Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing8 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. West Lost Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether West Lost Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for West Lost Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for West Lost Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 7.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about West Lost Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
West Lost Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (53°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 26 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full West Lost Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 13, 2017 caught 1.55 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at West Lost Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Lost Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2021-05-20 (Targeted Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2021-05-20 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 18.40 | 2–9 in 2021-05-20 | 0.25 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 14.74 | 5–9 in 2015-06-29 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 12.40 | 12–16 in 2015-06-29 | 0.92 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 7.03 | 9–12 in 2015-06-29 | 0.81 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.97 | 11 in 2015-06-29 | 0.87 lb |
| Golden Shiner | 5.76 |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2021-05-20 survey
West Lost Lake is a 723-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately seven miles north of Underwood, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural and marsh land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. West Lost Lake is part of the Otter Tail River…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Lost Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — West LostFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — West LostFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West LostPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
16 ft
Surface area
795 acres
Shoreline
12.5 mi
Littoral zone
87%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1,108 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,289 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- West Lost LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near West Lost Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near West Lost 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 Lost Lake
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Follow West Lost Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing West Lost 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.
EPA Impairment Status
West Lost Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0481-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about West Lost Lake
Where is West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 7.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 16 ft. Surface area: 794.65 acres.
Is West Lost Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. West Lost Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, from 26 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake has a maximum depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 794.65 acres.
What fish are in West Lost Lake?
- Fish species found in West Lost Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. West Lost Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at West Lost Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on July 13, 2017 caught 1.55 northern pike per hour of electrofishing at West Lost Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows West Lost Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include West Lost Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at West Lost Lake?
- West Lost Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore West Lost Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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