Bloody Lake
Bloody Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 274.14 acres.
- Clarity
- 0.7 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 9 ft
- Area
- 274 acres
- Type
- Hypereutrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 3
- Open water
- 252 days
Grade F measures nutrients and algae, not whether this is a good place for a cabin trip. Cabins and rentals near Bloody Lake →
Next lake in Murray County
Bloody Lake is a 274-acre highly nutrient-loaded hypereutrophic lake in Murray County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 9 feet. Water quality is graded F based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, and black crappie. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 8 other monitored lakes in Murray County, Bloody Lake ranks #7 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom
Water Quality Grade: F (Algae-prone)
Very murky, less than 0.7 ft of visibility. Phosphorus level: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 45.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 75.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 0.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 135 µg/L | Poor |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 45.3 µg/L | Poor |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 75 | Hypereutrophic |
Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
Where to stay near Bloody Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bloody Lake in Murray 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. The water-quality grade measures nutrients and algae, not lodging — cabins and rentals around Bloody Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Bloody Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Bloody Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 77°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Aug (about 74°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bloody Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 9 ft |
| Surface Area | 274 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bloody LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bloody Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (10 observations).
Estimated open water season: 252 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2021-03-17 (2021) | 2008-04-16 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-25 (2002) | 2004-12-13 (2004) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-12
EPA Impairment Status
Bloody Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN51-0040-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #7 of 9 lakes in Murray County
Nearby Lakes in Murray County
Frequently asked questions about Bloody Lake
What is the water quality grade for Bloody Lake?
- Bloody Lake in Murray County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Water clarity: 0.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 135 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 45.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 9 ft. Surface area: 274.14 acres.
Is Bloody Lake safe to swim in?
- Algae and nutrients are often high — check current advisories before swimming. Skip the water if you see scum or a paint-like bloom. Bloody Lake has a water quality grade of F (Algae-prone). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 45.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bloody Lake?
- Bloody Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bloody Lake?
- Bloody Lake has a maximum depth of 9 feet. The lake covers 274.14 acres.
What fish are in Bloody Lake?
- Fish species found in Bloody Lake include bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, green sunfish, northern pike, orangespotted sunfish, quillback, walleye, white crappie, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Bloody Lake is located in Murray County, Minnesota.
When does Bloody Lake thaw?
- Bloody Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 3. Ice typically forms around Dec 11. The open water season is approximately 252 days.
Are there boat ramps on Bloody Lake?
- Bloody Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bloody Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bloody Lake across LakeGrade
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Very high nutrients, dense algae, poor clarity
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Where this data comes from
9 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA9 samples · 2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
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