Wood Lake
Wood Lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 181.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 484.68 acres.
- Clarity
- 3 ft
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 485 acres
- Type
- Eutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Grade D measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Wood Lake →
Next lake in Yellow Medicine County
Wood Lake is a 485-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded D based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-15. 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.
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)
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 181.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 26.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 68.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 181.5 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 26.7 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 68 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wood Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wood Lake in Yellow Medicine 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 Wood Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Wood Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 485 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wood LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wood Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 139.60 | 0.27 lb |
| Black Crappie | 59.48 | 0.24 lb |
| Walleye | 38.37 | 1.05 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 33.54 | — |
| Bluegill | 11.03 | 0.24 lb |
| OSS | 10.07 | 0.04 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
Black Crappie
Walleye
Bluegill
From the 2025-09-08 survey
A targeted fall night electrofishing survey was conducted on Wood during September 8, 2025 to evaluate young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye numbers due to a fry stocking. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e. spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wood Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WoodFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WoodFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WoodPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Wood 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 MN87-0030-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Wood Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Upper Sioux CommunityGranite Falls · 4.4 mi away · NPDES MN0075001Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 1 lakes in Yellow Medicine County
Nearby Lakes in Yellow Medicine County
Frequently asked questions about Wood Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Water clarity: 3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 181.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 26.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 484.68 acres.
Is Wood 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. Wood Lake has a water quality grade of D (Nutrient-rich). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 26.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 484.68 acres.
What fish are in Wood Lake?
- Fish species found in Wood Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, freshwater drum, hybrid sunfish, orangespotted sunfish, walleye, yellow perch. Wood Lake is located in Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Wood Lake?
- Wood Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wood Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wood Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2021
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory