Watonwan County Lake Quality
Minnesota, 5 lakes, average grade D (Poor)
Only 5 lakes in Watonwan 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. On average, Watonwan County lakes grade D, with phosphorus loading and reduced clarity showing up across most of the dataset.
The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is St. James Lake (D); the most-stressed is Unnamed Lake (F).
Quick Answers for Watonwan County
Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for St. James Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or browse the full Minnesota regulations index.
DNR Reports (12)
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder resources for lakes in Watonwan County. browse all reports →
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — St. JamesFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — KansasFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FedjiFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — FedjiFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — FedjiPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — KansasFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — KansasPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LongFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — St. JamesFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — St. JamesPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
All Lakes in Watonwan County
| Rank | Lake | Grade | Clarity | Max Depth | Phosphorus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. James Lake | D | 3 ft | 15.4 ft | 51 µg/L |
| 2 | Fedji Lake | D | 3.1 ft | 6 ft | 48 µg/L |
| 3 | Long Lake | D | 2.8 ft | 13 ft | 65.5 µg/L |
| 4 | Unnamed Lake | F | 1 ft | - | 275 µg/L |
| 5 | Kansas Lake | F | 1.6 ft | 7 ft | 187 µg/L |
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.