Winter Lake
Winter Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Surface area: 116.72 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.9 ft
- Typical in August
- 72°F
- Max depth
- ~50 ft est.
- Area
- 117 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Becker County
Winter Lake is a 117-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with an estimated average depth of about 50 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Winter Lake ranks #72 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11.6 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Winter Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Winter 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Winter Lake
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Water Temperature
Winter Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in Sep (about 66°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 25 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Winter Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~50 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~13 ft est. |
| Surface Area | 117 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.8 mi |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Minnesota has not published bathymetry for Winter Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Winter LakePublic
- Mary Yellowhead LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Winter Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.129 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Winter Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Ogemash (completed 1966), built primarily for fish and wildlife pond on the Egg River; earth-type dam, 10 ft tall and 110 ft long.
- Normal storage
- 72 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 260 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 20.3 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- USFWS
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00619 · Operator website · Matched by proximity (0.85 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #72 of 84 lakes in Becker County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Winter Lake holds Grade C. 2 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 Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Winter Lake
What is the water quality grade for Winter Lake?
- Winter Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11.6 µg/L. Surface area: 116.72 acres.
Is Winter Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Winter Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 11.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Winter Lake?
- Winter Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in August, from 25 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Winter Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Winter Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 50 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 116.72 acres.
What fish are in Winter Lake?
- Fish species found in Winter Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, yellow perch. Winter Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Winter Lake?
- Winter Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Winter Lake, Mary Yellowhead Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
31 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA31 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity, Nephelometric Method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory