Nobles County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 6 lakes, average grade F (Algae-prone)
Only 6 lakes in Nobles County carry an active grade. The county-level summary is therefore representative of those specific lakes, not necessarily of every water body in the county. The county average is F — the most-stressed bracket in our rubric. Most monitored lakes here show persistent nutrient loading and algal pressure.
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. Okabena Lake (D) is the cleanest in the county.
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Quick Answers for Nobles County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Okabena Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
Fishing in Nobles County
DNR Reports (12)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Nobles County. browse all reports →
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OkabenaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — OchedaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — IndianFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BellaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BellaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BellaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — IndianFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — IndianPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OchedaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OchedaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — OkabenaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — OkabenaPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Nobles County
6 lakes · 5 graded, 1 not rated5 graded lakes · 1 not rated, hidden
| # | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Phosphorus | Algae | Trophic | Max Depth | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DOkabena LakeNobles | D | 3.3 ft | 166.5 µg/L | 24.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 16 ft | ✓ Public |
| 2 | FIndian LakeNobles | F | 2.5 ft | 201.5 µg/L | 72.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 6 ft | ✓ Public |
| 3 | FOcheda LakeNobles | F | 1.6 ft | 265 µg/L | 72.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 5 ft | ✓ Public |
| 4 | FEast Graham LakeNobles | F | 3.3 ft | 184 µg/L | 80.1 µg/L | No recent samples | 8 ft | ✓ Public |
| 5 | FWest Graham LakeNobles | F | 4.1 ft | 182 µg/L | 110.8 µg/L | No recent samples | 8 ft | ✓ Public |
| NRBella LakeNobles | NR | 1 ft | 636 µg/L | 145 µg/L | No recent samples | 14 ft | ✓ 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 Nobles 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.