Willie Lake
Willie Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 191.62 acres.
- Clarity
- 2.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 77°F
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 192 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 3
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Willie Lake →
Next lake in Meeker County
Willie Lake is a 192-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Meeker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2023. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 18 other monitored lakes in Meeker County, Willie Lake ranks #19 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-18. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 2.1 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 33.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 66.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 72 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 33.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 66 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Willie Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Willie Lake in Meeker 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 Willie Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Willie Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Willie Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Willie Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Surface Area | 192 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Willie LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Willie Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 45.52 | 0.31 lb |
| Bluegill | 13.66 | 0.12 lb |
| Black Crappie | 8.49 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.58 | 0.11 lb |
| White Crappie | 6.01 | 0.34 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 4.51 | 1.55 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-07-17 survey
Willie is a small lake (191 acres) located south of the City of Litchfield in Meeker County. A state-owned access with gravel parking and a double cement plank boat ramp is present on the west shore. A separate fishing dock is also present at the public access. Willie has approximately three miles of shoreline and a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Willie Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WillieFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WillieFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WilliePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (3 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-03-24 (2021) | 2022-04-11 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Willie 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 MN47-0061-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #19 of 19 lakes in Meeker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Willie Lake holds Grade F. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Meeker County
Frequently asked questions about Willie Lake
What is the water quality grade for Willie Lake?
- Willie Lake in Meeker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 2.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 72 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 33.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 191.62 acres.
Is Willie Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Willie Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 33.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Willie Lake?
- Willie Lake typically sits around 77°F at the surface in August, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Willie Lake?
- Willie Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 191.62 acres.
What fish are in Willie Lake?
- Fish species found in Willie Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid crappie, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, pumpkinseed, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Willie Lake is located in Meeker County, Minnesota.
When does Willie Lake thaw?
- Willie Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3.
Are there boat ramps on Willie Lake?
- Willie Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Willie Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Willie Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
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Where this data comes from
20 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA20 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate