Otter Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Otter Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 108 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1972.
Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 50 ft
- Survey year
- 1972
- Surface area
- 108 acres
- Shoreline
- 1.88 mi · lobed
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
Additional depth details7 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–50 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 50 ft
Provenance
Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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Map details & sources4 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 45.32458, -94.15667
- MN DNR lake ID
- 73001500
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.98×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.3 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25Otter Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 31.6 of 43 | 74% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (16% forest, 53% wetland; 11% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 25.7 of 36 | mean fetch 787 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Motor & speed rules | Not modeled | — | Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out. |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No public access site of this lake’s own in the MN DNR water access and fishing site records. Private, commercial and informal launches are not all in these records, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 14.5 of 21 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 1 MnDOT-classified segment within 1.2 km, peak 523 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 3% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- High — 16% forest and 53% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys15 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
Common Carp
White Sucker
Hybrid Sunfish
Brook Silverside
Banded KillifishAbout these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide
Fishery
surveyed 2011Gamefish Largemouth Bass 49 · Northern Pike 48 · Walleye 16 · Bowfin 1
Panfish Bluegill 293 · Pumpkinseed 44 · Black Crappie 34
All survey species15 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Bullhead & catfish
Forage & nongame
Infested waters listing
1 confirmed, 1 via connectionMussels & snails
- Zebra MusselListed in 2015 because this water is connected to Clearwater (86-0252). The species has not necessarily been found in this lake.
Plants & algae
Eurasian WatermilfoilConfirmed in this water in 2011 (listed 2011).
How to identify invasive species in Minnesota lakes →
What does the infested waters list mean?
The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html
Otter Lake — common questions
How deep is Otter Lake?
The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Otter Lake is 50 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Otter Lake?
Otter Lake covers about 108 acres in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What fish are in Otter Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin. The page lists all 15 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Otter Lake?
No public launch for Otter Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR access data. That is not the same as the lake being private -- private and commercial launches are not in that source.
