Westport Lake
Westport Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 203.13 acres.
- Clarity
- 4.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 12 ft
- Area
- 203 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Westport Lake →
Next lake in Pope County
Westport Lake is a 203-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pope County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet (3-foot average). Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 19 other monitored lakes in Pope County, Westport Lake ranks #18 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 onlyAlgae risk
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.
Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum
Water Quality Grade: D (Nutrient-rich)
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 21.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 59.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 4.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 21.4 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 59 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Westport Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Westport Lake in Pope 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Westport Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Westport Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Westport Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 73 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Westport Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 12 ft |
| Average Depth | 3 ft |
| Surface Area | 203 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Westport LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Westport Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 93.68 | 0.16 lb |
| Northern Pike | 12.76 | 2.78 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.44 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.63 | 0.29 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.08 | 0.43 lb |
| Bluegill | 7.67 | 0.18 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.
Black Bullhead
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
From the 2022-08-10 survey
This targeted gill net survey was completed to determine the extent of winterkill following the 2021-2022 winter, to gain updated information on the gamefish community, and to evaluate success of restorative stockings of Black Crappie and Walleye following the severe 2018-2019 winterkill event. Gill netting results…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Westport Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WestportFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WestportFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WestportPublic 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 | -0.053 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -3.13 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +2.47 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Westport 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 MN61-0029-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 20 lakes in Pope County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Westport Lake holds Grade D. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Westport Lake
What is the water quality grade for Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 21.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 203.13 acres.
Is Westport Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrients and algae run higher than average — check local advisories before swimming, and skip the water if you see scum. Westport Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 21.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 73 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 3 feet. The lake covers 203.13 acres.
What fish are in Westport Lake?
- Fish species found in Westport Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Westport Lake is located in Pope County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Westport Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Westport Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Pope County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Westport Lake
Other Grade D Lakes in Minnesota
Eutrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
102 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA102 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
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