Turtle Lake

How big is Turtle Lake?

How deep is Turtle Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Turtle Lake?

What are the closest cities to Turtle Lake?

Are there boat launches on Turtle Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Turtle Lake?

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Turtle Lake was conducted on June 14-16, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eight stations and site conditions prevented the use of seines at two stations. Nearshore sampling captured 23 species of fish including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, and Northern Redbelly Dace) and three species that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish).

A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Pumpkinseed comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Bluegill sampled per net was above the 50% quartile for similar Lake Class 28 lakes and the average length was 5.7 inches, with 21% over 7 inches.

The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from an August 2019 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.

Data from this survey indicates Turtle Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score, well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Long Prairie River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.

What is the average air temp for Turtle Lake?

Are there any state parks near Turtle Lake?