Big Kandiyohi Lake
Kandiyohi County, Minnesota2,730 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Kandiyohi Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 18 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 143.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 2729.83 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 16, 2022 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Big Kandiyohi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–12 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Kandiyohi Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 15 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Big Kandiyohi Lake is a 2,730-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 18 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 24 other monitored lakes in Kandiyohi County, Big Kandiyohi Lake ranks #14 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Kandiyohi Lake covers about 2,700 acres in Kandiyohi County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 25, which is when the open-water season begins. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Big Kandiyohi Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Big Kandiyohi Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 25
- Big water2,730 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Kandiyohi Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Kandiyohi Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Kandiyohi Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Kandiyohi Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.2 ft. Phosphorus 143.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 6.7 µg/L. TSI 59.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 144µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 6.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 59 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Kandiyohi Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 16, 2022 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Big Kandiyohi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–12 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Kandiyohi Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
23 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-09-11 (Targeted Survey).
23 surveys on file · most recent 2024-09-11 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 43.07 | 4–12 in 2024-09-11 | 0.96 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.19 | 7 in 2022-05-16 | 0.39 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 20.43 | 4–13 in 2021-07-19 | 0.58 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 11.12 | ||
| Yellow Perch | 8.91 | 4–12 in 2021-07-19 | 0.32 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Walleye
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-09-11 survey
A targeted fall night electrofishing survey of young of year "YOY" (fingerling sized) Walleye was conducted on Big Kandiyohi Lake during September 11, 2024. A targeted survey is generally used for sampling a specific kind of fish or time of year (i.e., spawning season, fall season, etc.) unlike a standard survey which…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Kandiyohi Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big KandiyohiFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big KandiyohiFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big KandiyohiPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
18 ft
Surface area
2,730 acres
Shoreline
14.3 mi
Littoral zone
53%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
141 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,093 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Kandiyohi County Park No. 2 (East)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Kandiyohi Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Kandiyohi Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Kandiyohi Lake
- → Big Kandiyohi Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Big Kandiyohi Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Big Kandiyohi Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Big Kandiyohi Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2021–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 25
Earliest Mar 28, 2007 · Latest May 2, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2018
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Big Kandiyohi Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN34-0086-00 · Official waterbody report
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Big Kandiyohi Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Lake LillianLake Lillian · 4.6 mi away · NPDES MN0021954
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Kandiyohi County
Frequently asked questions about Big Kandiyohi Lake
Where is Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake is a lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 143.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 18 ft. Surface area: 2729.83 acres.
Is Big Kandiyohi Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Kandiyohi Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake has a maximum depth of 18 feet. The lake covers 2729.83 acres.
What fish are in Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Kandiyohi Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Kandiyohi Lake is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 16, 2022 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Big Kandiyohi Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–12 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Kandiyohi Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Big Kandiyohi Lake thaw?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25.
Are there boat ramps on Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Kandiyohi County Park No. 2 (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Big Kandiyohi Lake?
- Big Kandiyohi Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Big Kandiyohi Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
36 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2021–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA36 samples · 2021–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate