Minnesota Lake Depths
NESW

Tenmile Lake

Otter Tail County, Minnesota · MN DNR bathymetric survey
50ft Max
depth
1,426 acres 7 contours Public access
Paddling Index44Modest
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Depth scale

The lake

Survey readout

Tenmile Lake is mapped to a depth of 50 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 1,426 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1977.

Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.

Deepest mapped contour
50 ft
Survey year
1977
Surface area
1,426 acres
Shoreline
9.29 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation
0% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access
Trailer Launch · Ten Mile Lake Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site
Additional depth details7 contours
Contour depths
0–50 ft
Recorded point soundings
50 ft
Compare with another lake
Chart data

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
46.12592, -95.97040
MN DNR lake ID
56061300
Vertical exaggeration
1.98×
Basemap
USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size
2.1 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25
44 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Tenmile Lake has a mixed natural and developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, some nearby classified roads.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

ComponentRatingPoints of weightMeasurement
Natural settingMixed11.2 of 3538% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (20% forest, 15% wetland; 18% developed)
Geometric wind exposureGood9.2 of 29mean fetch 2,122 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch
Motor & speed rulesNot 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 accessGood15.0 of 181 DNR public access site · boat ramp
Road isolationGood9.0 of 18some nearby classified roads · 13 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 14,419 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 0% 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
Limited — 20% forest and 15% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public land-cover, access and traffic-count data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights for Minnesota lakes: natural setting 35%, geometric wind exposure 29%, public access 18%, road isolation 18%. Motor, speed and no-wake rules are not modeled for Minnesota, and traffic counts cover state, county and some city roads but not township roads. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Minnesota scores are relative to other Minnesota lakes and are not directly comparable with Paddling Index scores on our sister sites, which use different data sources, some with a watercraft-rules component. Sources: MN DNR lake bathymetry outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MN DNR Water Access Sites and Fishing Piers & Shore Fishing Sites (2026-09) and MnDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (counts 2015–2025). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from DNR surveys

15 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Compiled from Minnesota DNR fishery surveys. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Fishery

surveyed 2024
1,016Fish sampled
15Species

Gamefish Northern Pike 151 · Walleye 108 · Largemouth Bass 68 · Smallmouth Bass 10

Panfish Bluegill 330 · Rock Bass 210 · Yellow Perch 67

All survey species15 species

Gamefish

Northern Pike151 caught · to 30″
Walleye108 caught · to 25″
Largemouth Bass68 caught · to 19″
Smallmouth Bass10 caught · to 19″

Panfish

Bluegill330 caught · to 10″
Rock Bass210 caught · to 11″
Yellow Perch67 caught · to 7″
Pumpkinseed5 caught · to 6″
Black Crappie2 caught · to 9″
Hybrid Sunfish2 caught · to 8″

Bullhead & catfish

Yellow Bullhead21 caught · to 15″
Black Bullhead6 caught · to 12″

Forage & nongame

White Sucker28 caught · to 18″
Longnose Gar6 caught · to 41″
Common Carp2 caught · to 28″
Length is the largest fish netted in the survey, not an angler record. Source: Minnesota DNR lake survey (LakeFinder).

Infested waters listing

1 confirmed

Mussels & snails

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

Quick answers

Tenmile Lake — common questions

How deep is Tenmile Lake?

The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Tenmile 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 Tenmile Lake?

Tenmile Lake covers about 1,426 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

What fish are in Tenmile Lake?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye, black bullhead, black crappie. The page lists all 15 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Tenmile Lake?

Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists a public access site on Tenmile Lake: a boat ramp with a boat dock and restrooms. It is administered by the DNR Division of Parks and Trails. DNR directions: "3.5 mi SW of Dalton on Cnty Rd 35, then 0.5 mi S on access road to E shore."