Murray County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 10 lakes, average grade D (Nutrient-rich)
Murray County has 10 graded lakes — a thin enough sample that one or two stressed lakes can move the county average noticeably. Use the per-lake pages below for what actually matters. The county-wide average grade is D — water quality issues are persistent across most of the monitored basins. 5 lakes fall into the F bracket outright.
Most of the county's monitored lakes are shallow — under 50 feet — which means wind keeps the water column mixed all summer and sediment-bound phosphorus releases back into the surface layer whenever the bottom is disturbed. Sarah Lake (C) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Murray County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Sarah Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Murray County
DNR Reports (3)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Murray County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SarahFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SarahFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SarahPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Murray County
10 lakes · 9 graded, 1 not rated9 graded lakes · 1 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CSarah LakeMurray | C | 3.9 ft | 59 µg/L | 2.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 10 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | CFirst Fulda LakeMurray | C | 3 ft | 41.5 µg/L | 11.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 7 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | CCurrant LakeMurray | C | 1.6 ft | 160 µg/L | 4 µg/L | No recent samples | 9.5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | DBuffalo LakeMurray | D | 1.1 ft | 99 µg/L | 20.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 8.5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | FFox LakeMurray | F | 0.6 ft | 197 µg/L | 48.5 µg/L | No recent samples | 8.5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 6 | FLime LakeMurray | F | 0.4 ft | 206 µg/L | 78.2 µg/L | No recent samples | 7 ft | ✓ Public |
| 7 | FBloody LakeMurray | F | 0.7 ft | 135 µg/L | 45.3 µg/L | No recent samples | 9 ft | ✓ Public |
| 8 | FCorabelle LakeMurray | F | 0.5 ft | 212 µg/L | 60.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 6 ft | ✓ Public |
| 9 | FShetek LakeMurray | F | 1.1 ft | 102 µg/L | 31.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 10 ft | ✓ Public |
| NRCurrent Lake MarshMurray | NR | 1.3 ft | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | No recent samples | ✓ Public |
NR = not rated: the monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar for a grade. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.
Lake Match
Which lake suits how you actually use one?
Six questions — swimming, fishing, quiet, cabins, drive time — and a shortlist of graded lakes that fit, with the water quality behind each one.
Other Counties in Minnesota
See how Murray County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all 39 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.