Westport Lake
Pope County, Minnesota203 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Westport Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
- 12 ft max depth
- Public access
Westport Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 10, 2022 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Westport Lake. DNR survey details →
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). 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Westport Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Westport Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Westport 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 Westport Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Westport Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 53 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 21.4 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 53µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 21.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Westport Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Westport Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (77°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 10, 2022 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Westport Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Westport Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-10 (Targeted Survey).
4 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-10 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 93.68 | 4–11 in 2022-08-10 | 0.16 lb |
| Northern Pike | 12.76 | 14–31 in 2022-08-10 | 2.78 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.44 | 5–7 in 2022-08-10 | 0.1 lb |
| Black Crappie | 10.63 | 3–12 in 2017-07-05 | 0.29 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.08 | 6–10 in 2022-08-10 | 0.43 lb |
| Bluegill | 7.67 | 3–9 in 2017-07-05 | 0.18 lb |
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.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
12 ft
Average depth
3 ft
Surface area
203 acres
Shoreline
4.8 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,316 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Westport 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 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 readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Westport Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Westport Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Westport Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-3.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+2.47 µg/L/yr6 years
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
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN61-0029-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pope County
Frequently asked questions about Westport Lake
Where is Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake is a lake in Pope County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake in Pope County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Westport Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Westport Lake?
- Westport Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Westport Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 10, 2022 caught 1.00 walleye per gill net at Westport Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Westport Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Westport Lake?
- Westport 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 Westport Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest 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 readings
Lakes in the Sauk River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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State Parks Near Westport Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
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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)
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