Salt Lake Info & History

1938 Image of Salt Lake

A shallow wetland formed during last glaciation, 12,000 years ago. The watershed is 600 acres.

1961 Image of Salt Lake

The lake is 312 acres during wet periods. 259 acres in Minnesota and 53 acres in South Dakota. It is historically 246 acres total.

Check out KSTP TV's segment on Salt Lake from July 8, 2024

Click here for eBird List - Salt Lake

Bird Species found at Salt Lake

Eared Grebe-nest on Sago mats, Ameican Avocet, Willet, Piping Plover, Various Sandpipers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Canvasbacks, Redheads, American Wigeon, Snow Geese, Tundra Swan, Trumpter Swan

eBird has 216 species listed at Salt Lake

Unique Insects found at Salt Lake

Brine Shrimp, Crimson Saltflat Tiger Beetle (likely extirpated)

Historic Shoreline Plants

Bayonet grass or Salt marsh bulrush, Salt grass, Squirrel tail or Foxtail barley, Red Goosefoot, Love grass, River Bulrush, Narrow-leaved cattail, Phragmities

No fish are known to be in the lake, it is too salty. BUT....there was a bait dealer who was charged for illegally trapping fathead minnows with in the Wildlife Management Area in 1996, and a reference in the citation to "1.5 gallons of fatheads in each trap was made by the local Conservation Officer.

Why is Salt Lake Salty?

Salt Lake is considered an alkali lake and is the only one found in Minnesota. The salts are from the lake bed and surrounding soils. The soils contain sulfates and chlorides and the clay base of the lake prevents leaching of salts deeper into the soils.

The lake is historically completely dry at least once every 20 years or so. This is important for reducing salt levels. The salt dries up and blows away in the wind. This looks like smoke a prairie fire. The last time the lake was completely dry was around 1981-82 and it was mostly dry in 1989-90.

The average depth of the lake is 3 feet, with a maximum depth of 4.8 feet.

The importance of this unique body of water was first recognized in the 1960's and protection started in 1973 with the state of Minnesota purchasing some of the land surrounding Salt Lake. Today, the Wildlife Management Area encompasses 780 acres.

What's happening on April 13, 2025

What's happening on April 14, 2025

What's Happening on April 23 by Jason Frank, Ortonville, MN

Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge Birding Report (Auto Tour Route- Ortonville)

American Avocet (largest group I've ever seen in MN) White faced Ibis, Semipalmated Plover, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet (at least 4), Long billed Dowitcher, Marbled Godwit, Hudsonian Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Western Grebe, Pied Long-billed Billed Grebe, Common Loon, Say's Phoebe

Lots of Gadwalls, Green-winged Teal, and Shovelers are there as well.

The Egrets and Blue Herons just seemingly arrived in large numbers today, and there were Tree, Barn, Cliff, and Northern Rough-winged Swallows present.