Dissolved Oxygen Monitoring

The Hutchinson Area fisheries office monitors dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in many area lakes during the winter months, including lakes that have aeration systems or have a history of winterkill. DO is measured just below the ice where oxygen concentrations are greatest. Typically only a couple sites are tested on each lake although more may be conducted if winterkill seems imminent. By monitoring the DO levels in these lakes we are able to inform the public as to the status of the oxygen level in lakes as well as track potential winterkill situations. A current list of lakes opened to liberalized fishing can be found here.

Lakes are monitored periodically as the winter progresses and the results are posted as soon as they come in. If multiple tests are done, only the highest is recorded in the table below. If the lake you're interested in is not listed then DO tests have not been conducted or were not deemed necessary.

Note: These lists are informational only and should not be considered complete or "official." Winterkill can be difficult to predict and may or may not occur regardless of the following results. Unit of measure for numbers listed below is milligrams/liter or parts per million dissolved oxygen.

Meeker County

* indicates an aerated lake

McLeod County

* indicates an aerated lake

Wright County

Renville County

Sibley County

Brown County

* indicates an aerated lake

Updated March 9, 2018