White Earth Lake
White Earth Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 120 ft. Surface area: 1988.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 120 ft
- Area
- 1,989 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 21
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Becker County
Free interactive depth-contour map of White Earth Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 110 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
White Earth Lake is a 1,989-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 120 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving 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 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, White Earth Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-07-06. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyBacteria A
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.
Based on E. coli testing, White Earth Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 9 samples across 2 seasons.
This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Minnesota’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 37.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 37 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near White Earth Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near White Earth Lake in Becker 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
White Earth Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Jun (about 59°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 162 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full White Earth Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 120 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,989 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 13.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 30% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- White Earth LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing White Earth 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-23 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 16.75 | — |
| Walleye | 11.47 | 1.59 lb |
| Bluegill | 10.61 | 0.22 lb |
| Rock Bass | 10.48 | 0.38 lb |
| MMS | 9.86 | — |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 8.30 | 0.33 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.
Walleye
Bluegill
Rock Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2025-09-23 survey
On September 23, 2025, DNR Fisheries used night electrofishing to sample young-of-year Walleyes in White Earth Lake. This sampling has been done annually for the past 15 years and is used to help determine the success of natural reproduction within White Earth Lake. During the 2025 assessment, 18 young-of-year…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Earth Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White EarthFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — White Earth (1001)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White EarthFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White EarthPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.33 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (27 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2017-04-07 (2017) | 2008-05-07 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-14 (2002) | 2015-12-19 (2015) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-22
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
White Earth Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the White Earth Lake (completed 1937), built primarily for recreation on the White Earth River; gravity-type dam, 8 ft tall and 20 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,990 ac
- Normal storage
- 51,875 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 56,025 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 106 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR-EWR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN01000 · Operator website
County Ranking
Ranked #32 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about White Earth Lake
What is the water quality grade for White Earth Lake?
- White Earth Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 120 ft. Surface area: 1988.9 acres.
Is White Earth Lake safe to swim in?
- Based on E. coli testing, White Earth Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 9 samples across 2 seasons. That works out to a bacteria swim-safety grade of A — a historical summary of past testing, not a current reading. White Earth Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so always check Minnesota's current beach and health-department advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of White Earth Lake?
- White Earth Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 162 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is White Earth Lake?
- White Earth Lake has a maximum depth of 120 feet. The lake covers 1988.9 acres.
What fish are in White Earth Lake?
- Fish species found in White Earth Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, lake sturgeon, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. White Earth Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
When does White Earth Lake thaw?
- White Earth Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 21. Ice typically forms around Nov 30. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on White Earth Lake?
- White Earth Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include White Earth Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore White Earth Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
227 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
MNPCA172 samples · 2020–2025 - Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX55 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
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
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